Life As A Wolf
by LKHanamura
Summary: Koga and Sora take their time telling their four sets of twins about how they met.
1. Chapter 1

Koga sat silently on a bluff that over looked the valley where his den was settled. Smiling at all the twists that fate handed down to him.

Like Kagome for example. He fell in love with her, but she didn't share his love. She had fallen in love with the mercenary Bankotsu and broke his heart.

When he found out, that had been the worst day of his life. But had also turned into a blessing. For had he not lost her, then he would not have found his mate.

Sora. Sora was a oukami hanyou. He met her when she was just over fifty years old. She had long black hair and cute black ears like Inuyasha had at one time. She had the mark of a fang that came down about ½ an inch off the outer corner of her right eye.

She was the daughter of the leader of a oukami youkai tribe in the Western lands. Soshi had taken a ningen mate when his died while birthing his second son. Both of his sons, Sanosuke and Shigure were protective over their younger sister, instead of shunning her like most youkai would.

By the time he had met her, she was a warrior in her own right. Soshi saw the look of shock when he saw her and busted out laughing. He told Koga not to judge because she was hanyou and not youkai. That the three trainers that she had were himself and his sons.

Koga could not pass up the chance to see if there as a hanyou that would prove to be stronger than Inuyasha so he challenged her to a sparing match. When they finally stopped, it was tied, each had lost and won ten times.

Since that day, neither had been able to get the other out of their minds! When Soshi sent for him again, he was more than happy to run to his den. The chance of getting to see Sora again, and confirming that it was just because she was a fighter was welcome. Ginta and Hakaku came along with him.

"Papa."

He was ripped from his reprieve when he heard twin voices coming from behind him. He turned a bright smile to his youngest pups. Isamu and Akira were standing behind him. They were his youngest at ten years old, even though they only looked to be the size of a five year old ningen child. Both of them were youkai, Isamu had long auburn hair that he kept in a pony tail like his father. Akira had long white hair that she left flowing down to the middle of her back.

Both of these pups had his blue eyes. He spun around and beckoned them to come to him. "What you pups up to?"

Isamu flopped down next to his father and shrugged his shoulders. "Since we are not old enough to start training yet, we are bored father."

Akira climbed on her papa's lap and snuggled into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her. "Do you think you could tell us a story papa?" She loved it when her mama told her stories, and she figured that her papa could tell ones just as good.

Koga smiled and hugged his youngest daughter. "Of course I can tell you a story. Now let me see which one shall I tell you?"

Isamu jumped up and said, "How about the time you fought with The Band Of Seven!?"

Akira glared over at her twin brother. "Iie brother. That is too much fighting in it. I want to hear about something like what mama tells us."

Koga smiled. When it came to his attention, he gives it evenly with all eight of his pups, but they always seemed to fight over it. 'Like they are fighting over a bone I swear.' "Well Akira, what kinds of stories does mama tell you?"

Akira turned shocked eyes up at her father. "Well papa, she tells us stories about some of the adventures she had before and after she met you."

"Ahhhh I see. Well has she ever told you all about how we met, up to the day you were born?"

Koga had to laugh when both his pups head began to vigorously shake back and forth. "Would you like me to tell you that one?" The little heads stopped for a fraction of a second before they began to shake up and down.

"Alright, alright then I will tell you." He picked up his pups and walked to the shade of a tree and sat down leaning against it. Once again, as usual, Akira was back in his lap and Isamu on his right side. That was when he noticed his two middle sets of twins coming. And they weren't happy at all. He looked up just as they broke the rise of the hill that lead to the bluff and said, "Well what are the four of you doing?"

Emiko and Yuriko stomped up to their father and flopped down on his left side. Yuriko was older than Emiko, even though they looked like the twins. Yuriko was twins with Daisuke, and Emiko was twins with Seiji. Yuriko and Emiko both had their mother's green eyes and silver hair. They were hanyou, born right after their mother so they had the silver ears.

The boys followed right behind their twin sisters and flopped down on his right side. Daisuke reached over and scooped up Isamu and flopped him down on his lap. The boys were identical as well. They were hanyou also, and hand black hair and ears, exactly like their mother, but they had their father's eyes.

Yuriko crossed her arms and glared at her twin, while Emiko did the same to hers. Yuriko then looked to her father with softer eyes and growled out, "These two baka's need to have their heads knocked around a little papa."

"Nani?"

Emiko never took her eyes off Seiji. "Yuriko and I were training down by the river. We were running through the drills that you showed us yesterday when they decided to get in the middle of it."

Koga knew his daughters were angry. No they were pissed. He turned hard eyes to his two middle sons. "Well?"

Daisuke smiled as he looked at Yuriko, "Oh father, we didn't do anything that bad. They were next to the river and we helped them go for a swim. They are the ones that spent the next couple hours chasing us down."

Before Koga could answer he smiled as his eldest son and daughter approached. They seemed to know when the family was gathering. They were adults now, but would still sit and gather around with the rest of the pups when Sora would start telling stories and it seemed they knew when the pack was gathering.

Kosha smiled down as his foolish little brother. "Daisuke, you and Seiji would do well to learn. Don't mess with a woman. Especially ones that are fighters like our sisters are."

He flopped down next to Emiko and smiled as his twin sister Mizuki sat down next to him. He looked over at Mizuki as he said, "I had to learn that the hard way when I challenged Mizuki to a sparing match when we were just a little bigger than Isamu and Akira."

Mizuki smiled smugly at her twin brother. They were both youkai and looked exactly the same, except for the eyes. She had her mother's green eyes and he had their father's blue eyes. "Hai shatei. But I do not think that your little brother's will understand until they are firmly flattened."

Koga busted out laughing. His pups were his life and now he hall eight of them around him. "Hai Mizuki. That is your mother coming out in you. After all our first meeting was spent in a day of sparing."

Isamu looked up at his father and raised an eyebrow. "Mama was a fighter?"

"Hai sochi. And a remarkable one at that. We spared all day and tied. I won ten and so did she."

Akira turned annoyed eyes up to her father. "Papa you said you would tell us about how you met mama!"

Koga smiled as he sat his hand on her head. "Hai, that is true."

Mizuki had never heard the story told straight out before. Something would remind her mother or father about something that happened before, and that was the only part of the story told. "Father you are going to tell the whole story this time?"

"Hai."

Kosha stood and leaped up in the tree and got comfortable. "About time the mystery is revealed. Mizuki and I are the eldest and are one hundred and fifteen years old, and we have never heard the whole story."

Isamu looked up at his eldest brother. "Honto ni?"

"Hai. Something would always happen that would remind them of part of the story. They would talk about just that part then it would be done."

Emiko and Yuriko had softened and were now looking to their father. Emiko asked, "Papa, why haven't you or mama ever told us this story before?"

Koga stared dumb founded at his daughter for a second. Emiko always asked the questions that you would not think of yourself. She was always able to throw people off that way and find out what she needs to find out from anyone. "I don't know. It just never came up."

Sora walked up toward the group. Knowing they all knew she was coming. She smiled when she heard the story that he was going to tell them. She sighed as she reached them. "Well utenshi you are going to tell that story. I don't know why it never came up before."

She mad her way around her pups and sat down next to Koga. She smiled as she looked around and up. Her pack was her life. She did not fight so much anymore now that she was a mother. Reaching over she took Isamu from his older brother and smiled. "Go on Koga. It is about time we tell them this story."

Koga smiled and wrapped an arm around his mate's waist. "Well I know where to start, and since this was your idea Akira where do you want us to stop the story at?"

Akira smiled. "Stop when you get to when me and Isamu were born."

"Hai."

Koga then began to tell the story of how he and Sora met and bonded becoming mates. He started with that one fateful day when he found Kagome holding hands with Bankotsu. The cursed and blessed day when his life changed, for the better.


	2. Chapter 2

With all his pups and mate surrounding him he felt at peace. He looked over to Sora. He met her only a few months after Kagome told him that she had already mated Bankotsu. He felt like she was jealous over a memory sometimes when she would react in violent ways when he brought up Kagome.

"Koishii?"

Sora smiled. She knew that he was hers. She was jealous that Kagome was ningen and had captured his heart before her, but when he left Kagome to come to her rescue, she knew then that even though he loved her first, he was hers until the end of time. "Hai. Start from there."

They turned to all the pups who were looking at them like they were insane. Koga smiled and said, "Well pups, your mom and Kagome did not always get along when they first met. But no questions, it is time to start the story."

x

Kagome sighed and flopped down on the well. She had sent Shippo to the wolf den to tell Koga to meet her there that she wanted to talk to him. They had all the shards of the jewel save two of them. The ones in Koga's legs. Now she needed them, then she was going to fix Inuyasha and Kikyo so they could be together, then wish it away.

She smiled when she remembered how she got the jewel shard in Kohaku's back. When Naraku was defeated Sesshomaru showed up right after the fact, and he was furious about it. He wanted to start a fight with Inuyasha, but instead was stopped when she stepped in front of him and asked him why he had Kohaku with him?

He turned to the boy and nodded and that was when Kohaku told them that he had regained his memory a few months ago, and after he had enough courage built up he left Naraku. Along the way he saw Rin again. She was being chased by a youkai and he saved her.

For saving her, Sesshomaru left it up to him if he wanted to follow him or not. It was for Rin that he agreed to it. Since he was a youkai slayer and showed much promise in fighting, Sesshomaru said he would train him himself.

Sango was aghast about the whole thing. But a pleading look from her one and only little brother, who was her little brother, not Naraku's puppet was all it took for her to agree. On the condition that he come and check in from time to time to let her know that he was alive.

She said something about having to find a way to remove the jewel shard in his back without killing him. That was when Sesshomaru looked down at the pleading eyes of his Rin and said that he would bring him back to life with Tenseiga if he died after they removed the jewel shard. And he kept his word. The instant that Kagome called it to her, he dropped to the ground dead. One swing of Tenseiga and he was back.

"Kagome!"

Kagome jerked her head up and smiled at a bewildered Koga. "Gomen Koga. I was just remembering what happened with Kohaku."

Sitting down next to her on the well he smiled. "He is the youkai slayer's little brother that I see with Sesshomaru sometimes right?"

"Hai. Koga I….."

Koga reached up and placed a gently finger to her lips. "I already know Kagome. I am a youkai remember. I could smell his smell mixed with yours. Right before I got her I already took them out. Here, and I hope you have a happy life." Then he handed her the jewel shards and turned around as the tears busted through his closed eyes.

Kagome felt for him. He was a friend and she wanted to keep him that way. She rushed to him and hugged him from behind and said, "Koga don't stay away from me. I want you to find someone you can mate with, have a bunch of pups and be happy. You always have been and always will be a friend and welcome in my home at any time."

Koga knew the tears were gushing down his cheeks and that she knew it. He only wiggled free of her hold and held his hand up. "Hai. We shall see." Then he sped off. His heart was shattered into a million pieces. The only woman he had ever met that stole his heart away was beyond his reach anymore. 'I will never find a new mate Kagome. No one could ever come close to you.'

x

Akira covered her father's mouth. "Papa you mean that you fell in love with a ningen miko before mama?"

Koga smiled. "Hai pup, I did. None of you would remember her. She died before even Kosha and Mizuki were born."

Akira glared at her father.

"Nani?"

"Papa, you weren't serious were you?"

"At the time I was. It was my heart that was leading me then. Not my soul, when you are old enough to find your own mate, then you will understand. Now do you want me to continue the story or I am going to get grilled some more?"

Sora smiled as she reached over placed a finger to her daughter's mouth, silencing her next question. "Don't judge your father until you hear more of the story."

"If you say so mama."

x

When Koga returned without Kagome he did not even notice the looks that Ginta and Hakaku were giving him. They had found a small cave that would be perfect for Koga and Kagome. It was large enough so that they could have many pups, and still feel like home. They had found it four days ago.

They figured that she would be with Koga now as well as he did. They spent the whole time getting it ready to be the way Koga was use to, but also making it homey for Kagome. They had went to a village that was down river that was not very big and had the wolves hold them at bay as they rummaged through the huts.

They took some clothes, and oil lamps. When they were done going through the huts, they asked if there was any lumber not being used in the village. They took just what the thought they would need, thanked them and left.

They made a fire pit in the middle of it for Kagome to cook over and to keep them warm. And several holes that went straight through the ground to let in the sun when it was day and light the cave.

They built contraptions that would catch the rain as it came in and run it down he wall to trenches that flowed to the back of the cave where there was a natural stream that flowed.

The built shelves like what they had seen in the huts and placed the oil lamps all around on them. When the kitsune came for him they hurried and put a large bed of hay down in a corner of the cave and lit some of the lamps.

Now that he was home, they would not get to tell him about it.

Koga saw the looks on his two best friends eyes. "Okay out with it what did you to do?"

Ginta stood and said, "We thought for sure you would come back with Kagome or in a happy mood cause she said she was going to be yours. But the mood you look like you are in now, we were wrong."

"So what did you do?"

Hakaku pointed in the direction of the cave. "Just over the rise, close enough that a scream would bring the tribe, but far enough away that you and Kagome could have had your privacy, we made you another den to share with her."

Koga stared at his friends. He knew that they were loyal to him, but to go to that length. He knew what cave they were talking about, and did a great job on choosing it. He walked past them and toward the cave.

When he walked in he was shocked. It was lighted brightly with a mix of oil lamps and a little sun coming through some of the holes they had dug out. He looked up a hole and gasped. They even puttied the sides of the holes so that they would not cave in.

He turned when he smelled and heard them outside this new cave. He walked around and blew out the oil lamps, save one. Then went to the mouth of the cave. "You boys did a good job on this cave. But the mood I am in I don't feel like sleeping with the pack. I will sleep in here tonight, don't want to feel like I am on display."

Both Ginta and Hakaku nodded and turned to leave when they were face to face with a oukami youkai that was not from their tribe. They turned around and looked at Koga who was glaring at the stranger. Stepping back to stand behind Koga they waited for one to speak.

Koga was not in the mood to hear about how Ayame wanted him to come to the mountains and mate with her. Weather or not he ever knew Kagome, it would no make any difference. He was not going to mate her. "Who are you and what do you want from me?"

The stranger stood tall and proud, evenly in height with Koga. "My name is Takahashi. I am here to deliver a message from Soshi, leader of the oukami youkai tribe in the Western Lands. He wishes to see you, Koga, leader of the oukami youkai tribe in the Northern Lands."

Koga let his jaw drop. He knew who Soshi was. He was the youngest son of the elder and one of the strongest in all the tribes! "What does Soshi want with me?"

Takahashi shook his head. "This I do not know. He only asked that I come and get you. You have jewel shards in your legs, you will make it there before I will…."

"I don't have them anymore. The new protector of the Sacred Jewel does."

Takahashi just looked at him. He did not know what kind of power this youkai had without using the power of jewel shards. 'I don't think that Soshi will be happy with this one.' "Still I must insist that we leave now and not stop. He stressed that this is of the utmost importance."

Koga knew that a trip to the Western Lands would do him some good, but he would not travel without Ginta and Hakaku. They were the only ones who willingly went with him and chased down Naraku all that time. They complained all the time and sometimes were total nut jobs, but loyal as they came and always did everything that he asked of them. "I won't go unless the two behind me can go as well."

"He did not say that he wanted you alone. I am sure that it will be alright."

Koga looked over his shoulder's. "You boys ready to go?"

Ginta and Hakaku looked at each other and smiled. "Whenever you're ready to go Koga."

Turning back to Takahashi he nodded and said, "Lead the way."

x

Isamu was the one to interrupt them now. "And that is where you first met mama isn't papa?"

Koga smiled at his mate. "Hai Isamu. That is when I first met your mama."

Kosha chuckled from the tree causing the group on the ground to look up at him with odd looks on their faces. "I know all about this part of the story. It came out as a part of the whole picture one day while Mizuki and I were starting our training."

Mizuki smiled. "Oh I remember what you are talking about. When we first started was the only time that I could beat you, and we tied in sparing matches till you started gaining strength over me."

"Hai."

Daisuke and Seiji as well as Emiko and Yuriko all looked up at their older brother, but it as Yuriko who asked. "What are you talking about Kosha?"

Cracking one of his blue eyes he looked at his hanyou brothers and sisters. "Being an hanyou, mama aged faster than a youkai does. A youkai is an adult around a hundred. A hanyou reaches adult hood at 70 or so. Mama was what papa said Kagome would call a teenager in the youkai world. But she was as strong as papa. They spared 20 times the first day the met and tied in winnings. Each one ten matches."

All eyes turned to their mama, except Kosha who just closed his back. Sora smiled, "Hai and that is the next part of the story. And we will go into detail this time, I promise."

Kosha nodded. "Good cause you only covered a summary of it whenever it came up."

Koga smiled. "Okay, now for the interesting part. How I met your mother.


	3. Chapter 3

When Koga reached the cave he looked at it odd. The cave was just as he expected it to be. One of the largest oukami youkai caves he had ever seen! But he could see where there was a small ningen house built into the side of the mountain that the cave was in.

"Takahashi, why is that ningen house built into the side of the mountain?"

"You have not heard?"

"Heard what?"

Takahashi looked back at him shocked. 'This baka really does not know that Soshi mated a ningen!' "That is not something for me to reveal. Soshi will have to tell you that one."

Koga shrugged. "Whatever." He really did not care why. He was in no place to judge. He had just had his heart ripped out by a ningen only the day before, so if Soshi wanted to live in a ningen home built off his den, who was he to judge him.

Takahashi turned around to lead the trio in when Soshi's eldest pup came walking out of the den to greet them. A oukami youkai tribe was nothing like the home of the youkai lords in each region. They used titles and bowed and all the proper crap that they did not do. Everyone knew their place and that was the end of it.

Turning to walk away he sighed. Koga for his part was silent the whole trip. The two with him drove him insane with their constant talk. 'Those two will never find mates I swear.'

Sanosuke smiled at the youkai in front of him. Koga. There was something about him that was off though. He had always heard that Koga was always smiling, or threatening others, but never quiet. He had not said a thing when he saw him approach. 'I wonder what is eating at him?'

Koga just looked at the one approaching. Then a scent caught his attention. He would recognize it anywhere! It was one of a hanyou! He could smell the oukami youkai scent mixed perfectly with ningen. It only served to remind him of what he lost though. A pup born of him and Kagome would have been hanyou.

"Konnichi wa Koga. It is good that you could come. I am Sanosuke, Soshi's eldest. Come on, I'll take you to where father is working with my younger sister." Then he turned and started to walk away.

Koga fell into step next to him. He had to ask, even though he knew where his thoughts were going to go. "I smell hanyou."

"My sister Sora."

Koga stared aghast over at him. Soshi mated a ningen! He did not smell ningen anywhere though so his sister's mother must have passed away. "How old is she?"

Sanosuke smiled as he thought of his baby sister. She was a warrior in her own right. "She is fifty. Father has been training her since she was around ten. They are training now in a clearing not far away."

When they reached the clearing Koga smiled to himself. There was Soshi and a hanyou female. She was quite good with the sword too. He would have to brush up on his sword play now that he no longer had the power of the jewel shards to aid in battle. 'I wonder if I could spar with her? She would be great practice to work on my swordsmanship for a while.'

He looked closely at her as they stopped sparing. When she walked over to where there were bows and arrows he noticed how slim her face was. Like a small oval with long jet black hair and little fluffy ears on her head like Inuyasha had. He could not see anything else about her face.

Her clothing was more that of a ningen than it was for the usual clothes for oukami youkai. She wore black hakamas that were slimmed down and fitted around her ankles and she had shoes on. Her haori was a sky blue color and the sleeves fit like her paints did. They were slim and fitted at the wrists. There were no decorative designs or anything on them.

Koga had to admit that she was actually quite beautiful in her own right. Although, at the moment, no one could compare to Kagome. When she picked up the bow and arrow and took her stance he sighed. Kagome only used bows and arrows.

x

"Papa! You compared Kagome to mama!" All four of his female pups spoke in unison. All at a yell. Even Mizuki was in on it. The male pups just stared with their mouths hanging open. Except for Kosha. He never opened his eyes, but he already knew that.

When Kosha was coming up to be old enough to start looking for a mate Koga took him hunting and told him what to expect when his inner youkai took hold and told him who was to be his mate. When he questioned his father about how he knew mama was his, he told him that when his inner youkai claimed her for his mate, he argued with himself and compared her to Kagome. But lost the argument in the end.

Koga stared blankly at his pups. Sora smiled behind her hand and giggled at her mate's expression.

This time it was Mizuki who grilled her father. "Papa you have always told all of us not to compare someone to another. How can you say that and then tell us that you compared mother to Kagome?"

Koga sighed. Now he knew what they were so mad about. He had always told them that and this was the reason why he told them. "This is why I have always told you not to do it. If you have to compare someone to another, then the one you are comparing them too, wasn't the one. I learned that from experience. I do that quite often in the beginning before my inner youkai took over."

Sora smiled at her daughters. "Don't worry pups. It comes back to bit him in the behind anyway, and by grandpa."

Now it was time for Kosha to laugh. He fell all the way out of the tree this time to land on his back. "Grandpa got him for comparing you to Kagome! Oh I could only imagine what you went through father. Grandpa can be scary sometimes."

Koga glared over at Kosha. "Had enough of a laugh yet sochi?"

Sitting up Kosha forced himself not to laugh anymore. Until the part of the story came up that told what his grandfather did to his father for comparing the two of them. "Hai father." Leaping back up in his tree he settled back down and closed his eyes. "I'm done."

Akira glared at her mother this time. "Did you know that he was comparing you to another mama?"

"Hai I did. But at the time it did not matter to me."

"Why not?"

Koga sighed. "If I could get this story out without getting yelled at every time I get to a knew part, then you would find out koinu." He ruffled her hair and laughed at the face she gave him.

"Alright papa. I promise that I won't stop the story no more. Well for a while at least."

"Tame."

x

Soshi caught the scent of his son and three other youkai with him. Looking up he saw them. One of them had to be Koga. He motioned for them to come down then smiled when he heard his daughter's growl. "Otome. What is the growling for?"

"Because papa. I can take care of the youkai that is troubling mama's old village alone. The village does not shun me remember?" It would only take her about a month to track it, corner it and then kill it. She did not have to go with another youkai that would distract her.

"You may get your wish. It depends on what Koga says about it." Soshi turned and watched the approach of Koga, his son and two others. 'I hope he does. If you two were to start a bond on this trip, mating the two of you would be a lot easier.'

He did not like the idea of his only daughter going that far away to live in a tribe that were all strangers to her. But he trained her just like Sanosuke. Never going easy on her so she would put those who did not like her in their place. And being a fighter might catch Koga's attention. He would keep her safe, and he would not have to worry about if he was kind to her or any pups that would be hanyou.

Ayame had come by not that long ago and told them that he had fallen in love with a ningen, but the ningen turned him down. He hoped that he was still unmated. When they got close enough, he sighed an invisible sigh of relief. He was still unmated. No scent mixed with his.

"Koga thank you for coming."

"No problem. What did you want anyway?" He stopped in front of Soshi. He nodded a smiling hello to the hanyou female only to get a hard gaze that puzzled him.

"Sora behave. Gomen Koga. She is in a bad mood today." Before he could say or do anything more Koga was in front of Sora with a grin that gave nothing away to them.

Koga knew what helped his bad mood. And even though he was not mad, he was not in a good mood either. Some sparing helped him. Usually he would get one of the more decent fighters in his den and spar with them, taking his jewel shards out and letting them hang from an ink container on his side. "Wanna spar?"

Sora jerked her head up in surprise at this youkai's question. "Nani?"

"Your father said you are in a bad mood. Even though you are a hanyou, the blood of oukami youkai runs through you. I know when I get into a bad mood, sparing or just anything that has to do with training or fighting helps calm me down. You wanna?"

Sora's bad mood started to dissipate. She looked at her father. "If I can beat him to where I am two wins in sparing matches ahead of him, you won't ask him what you wanted. If I don't, then I agree if he does."

Soshi smiled. "Hai. It is a deal?"

Koga looked from father to daughter and then back to father. "What are you two talking about?"

Sora reached out and pulled his sword from his side and thrust a practice blade in his hand. She then removed her won sword and took up a practice blade. "My mother's old village is being terrorized by some youkai that wants to make a name for himself. We spar until one of us gives, or we can't spar anymore. If I win, and get two wins ahead of you, you go home and I do it myself. If you stay ahead of me until I just can't go anymore, you get to come with me and help me."

Koga turned and took a few steps away from the hanyou. "You got a deal. I win, we leave when you are ready and go kill this thing. If you win, then I go home as soon as I loose."

"Sounds great. Lets start."

"Right."


	4. Chapter 4

Soshi smiled as the first of what would become many sparing matches started. From what he had been told, Koga hated to lose and with him having the power of the jewel shards would make it even more possible for him to get a bond going with the two of them.

"Father do you really think this is such a good idea?"

"Nani?"

Sanosuke stared at the sparing pair. Koga was not going easy on her, and that was how she and everyone else wanted it to be. If they went easy on her then she would get soft, and dead. "You do remember Ayame coming by not too long ago and said that Koga had fallen in love with a miko ningen."

"Hai I remember. Kagome."

"How do we know he won't just drop Sora and run to the ningen if she asked him to?"

Soshi smiled. As soon as he heard that he told Ayame no it sparked hope in his heart for his daughter. When he heard about the ningen he decided that he would but out and let it ride out and see what happened.

After all how could he say or do anything when he himself mated a ningen. That is how he got his little hime. "I know Sanosuke. You are worried about her, and so am I. However I went to go and see the ningen miko myself. Do you remember The Band Of Seven?"

"Hai."

"She mated the resurrected leader. And was with child. There is no way that she would ask Koga to be with her now. We just have to hope that Koga wins this bet they have." He watched with eager eyes as his daughter and the youkai spared with each other.

Sanosuke still had a bad feeling about this. He knew that once a youkai bonded it was for life, and it was never clear if it was Koga's head that claimed the miko, or his youkai. 'I wonder if he would talk to me about it later. I will just tell him that I heard it and wondered what was coming of it. It aint like I can say that I don't like it. My father mated a ningen. My sister his hanyou.'

He only hoped that there was no life bond between him and the miko or it would ruin everything for his imoutosan and otousan.

x

Sora glared at Koga. She had to admit that she respected him now, but it still pained her that she was going to have to work with him to go and kill this youkai for her father. He did not know how long it was going to take before they killed it but she had to work with Koga. They had sparred nineteen times and it had taken it's toll on her. This was their 20th sparing match and she was drained.

He did not take it easy on her, and she liked that. He was one win over her and if she could not get the win on the bet, she was at least going to tie it up!

Koga knew that she was tired. He could smell the exhaustion on her. 'She is strong though. I doubt that Inuyasha could have ever lasted this long against me going all out. Tetsusaiga or not!' "Come on and just admit it. I won the bet and we leave in the morning to fight this youkai for your father. Then I will go home and you can do whatever it is that you do."

"I train. But I agree with you. We should get this match done and let father know what came of our bet. Kill the bastard, then be on our separate ways." With that she lunged at him shocking him at how much strength she really did have left.

Although after she was done with this attack, she would fall. She knew it. She did not have enough strength to do anything else. But it worked. Catching him off guard she was able to knock him to his back and land on him with her wooden blade on his throat. "Kill Koga."

Koga stared up at the female in shock. She won with the last amount of strength left. 'She would have been useful with the fight on Naraku.' "Hai. You win. Now lets go…." He could not finish what he was saying before she passed out on him.

Rolling her off of him he smiled as he sat next to her. He had to admit that there was something about her that he liked. 'But she could never come close to being Kagome."

x

"Father! We can do without hearing those parts douzo." Akira again glared up at her father. Even if it was part of the story she did not want to hear about how her father compared her mother to some miko he thought he loved before her mother!

Koga smiled. "Well koinu, if I can't tell those parts, then I can't tell half of the rest of the first part of the story."

"Nani?"

"And daughter, part of the first part of the story also has where I am comparing your father to a male that I knew before him." Sora smiled at her youngest daughter. She was the kind that loved stories of true love and everything romantic. It had to have come from her ningen blood from her mother.

Sora's mother loved romance and that is a trait passed to her grandchild as well.

Akira glared at her mother now. "So you did it as well? You compared father to someone else?!" Akira did not know what to do. She had always pictured her mother and father meeting, falling madly in love, mating and starting a family with a few adventures. She would have never dreamed that they would compare each other to others, or that her grandfather would have to plan a way to get her to be with someone she did not know.

"What is it pup?" Koga had lost his smile and was now looking down at his pup that was always smiling, always happy who had a serious look on her sweet face. It kind of unnerved him.

Akira let out an exasperated sigh as she looked up at her father. "Gomen nasai otousan. It is just I had painted this picture of you and mama meeting. Falling in love, and becoming mates right off the bat. I had no idea that this was how you really met."

Koga pulled his pup into a tight hug. "Don't worry about it Akira. Sometimes life is not always the way we would like things to be. But this is how we met, and I don't think that your brothers and sisters would like it if we left anything out."

"I know papa. From now on when you say something that I don't like I will just growl a little and not say anything."

"Hai. Now where were we Sora."

"I just passed out and you rolled me off your chest."

"Ah, okay. So I sat there and stared at her…"

x

He looked up at the sky, the sun was just about hidden behind the hill in the distance. "I better get you back to your father before he thinks I kidnapped you." Then he picked up his blade, her blades, and the practice blades. He put the practice ones up and settled both his sword and her sword at his side. When he turned to Sora he stopped dead in his tracks. She was pulsing. Changing.

'Inuyasha had a night when he was ningen until dawn. Could this be her night?' The sudden scent of youkai filled his nose. None of them oukami. There were kitsune, tiger, hayabusa, hawk and a few others.

Acting out of honnou he lifted Sora in his arms and ran toward the den. Even without the jewel shards in his legs, he was still the fastest oukami in his pack. He barely got out of the clearing when Sora's scent did a total change. Looking down he gasped.

Her fang mark was gone, and so were her ears. She was ningen. Nothing about her right now, by smell or sight, would show she had a powerful youkai for her father. 'Don't worry Sora. I won't let anyone see you like this. I don't know who knows so I won't let anyone see.'

When he reached the woods next to the den he sighed. The youkai would not dare come this close to a large den of oukami youkai. He slipped around, staying down wind from the rest of the pack.

When he reached the ningen home off the side of the den he slid around it until he found the open window that had Sora's scent, ningen and hanyou all over it. In a single leap he was in her room and sighed. Then another scent hit his nose. Gripping the limp body tight in his arms he spun around growling only to find Sanosuke.

"Sanosuke?"

"You know. No one except those that live in the ningen home knows what night her ningen night is. What are you going to do now Koga?" Sanosuke had forgotten what night it was until it was already dark. He would know if this youkai in front of him lies or not. If he lies about keeping her night a secret then he would die where he stood.

Koga straightened up. He brushed past Sanosuke and to her bed. Laying her down on the bed he said, "I have nothing to gain or to lose by telling anyone that this is her ningen night. If I was going to let anyone know, I would have brought her in through the cave."

"True but what is going to stop you from telling everyone when you are done with what father wants your help with and you leave."

Koga glared over his shoulder at the youkai. He could understand the questions but he was not someone who hurt others just to do it anymore. Kagome had changed that in him. He removed her sword from his side and laid it on the bed next to her.

Turning to her brother he growled out, "Had I gotten a different answer from someone yesterday, I would not have come here. I would have been with her. She was ningen. Had she mated with me, our pups would be hanyou just like her. I would kill someone who told when their ningen night was so I won't do it to her or Soshi."

"Was your bond with the ningen formed out of feelings or did your youkai claim her as your mate?"

"What are you talking about?"

"If you truly do not know what I mean then it must have been a bond of feelings, not of blood."

Koga turned away from Sanosuke and walked to the window that he jumped in. He knew what he met by that. All youkai that mate for life are told about that when the reach adult hood. His inner youkai will claim the one that it thought was worthy to be it's mate. That did not happen with Kagome. He let his feelings lead him when it came to her.

"I know what you are talking about Sanosuke. No it was not a youkai bond. My youkai never once showed it's head when it came to Kagome. It was feelings only with her. Why?" He did not know what was going on but wanted to know. This was getting weird.

Sanosuke sighed inside. There was a chance that the scheme that his father had planned would work for the two of them. When he said that he would not tell when her ningen night was, he told the truth. "My sister is half ningen. She has an inner youkai as well, she can transform into a oukami that is ten foot tall. Not like the rest of us can. No one knows why she can do it. But her mother was all about being a hopeless romantic, and I did not want her to fall for someone where there is no chance. I don't want her heart broke."

Koga looked down at Sora. He knew how that felt. He knew that one day he might meet someone his youkai would claim and he would mate with. But he could not see that happening anytime soon. "No I don't either. I know what a broken heart feels like. Come on, I need to talk to your father about what he wants me and Sora to do."

Sanosuke nodded and lead Koga out of his sister's room. 'I wonder if you know what a dangerous game you are playing father. I only hope that it works.'


	5. Chapter 5

Sora woke up and shot up to a sitting position. A glance around told her that she was in her room. "But how did I get here?"

"Koga brought you in sis. You used all your strength in your last sparing match with him yesterday and passed out. He snuck you in your room when he saw you as a ningen." Shigure sat in a chair on the other side of the room. When he found out that Koga knew when his baby sister's ningen night was he was mortified. The first night of the full moon. Every month on that day she was ningen until morning.

Sora crossed her legs in front of her and crossed her arms. "Oh great, for the time that I travel with him tracking this youkai, I got to worry about if he is going to tell the world about my night of weakness." 'Damn you girl how could you be so stupid. Baka Sora, baka!'

Shigure chuckled at his sister. "No he gave his word to us that he would not tell a soul. Not even the two he came here with. Even Sanosuke believes him."

"Well that is something. He don't believe no one when it comes to me."

"I know. Are you ready to leave today, or do you want more time to recharge?"

Sora stretched. She had a mount to take with her. A two tailed cat. Aiko was named after her mother, Aoi. She was solid white with a flame red ring around each tail and her neck. Looking around she noticed that her cat was not there in the room with her. "Where is Aiko?"

"She was in here all night with you, but Sanosuke came and got her this morning to hunt."

"I see. Where is father and Koga? The sooner I can get this job done the sooner he leaves." She knew that part of her did not want him to leave, yet did. A scent that she had not smelled for ten years wafted through the window to her nose. It was, Karasu.

She turned tear filled eyes away from her brother. "Anchan when did Karasu get here?"

Shigure sighed. He knew it was only a matter of time before his sister smelled the worthless piece of crap. "He showed up this morning. He already challenged Koga."

"Nani?!"

"Hai. It seems that Koga at one time had jewel shards in his legs which made him even stronger than father. But it seems that the ningen he fell in love with asked for them back and he gave them back."

Sora stood and walked to her closet. She had heard of the jewel and what it could do for those who possessed it. "Do you think if I went and asked, that the ningen Kagome would turn me into a youkai like you Shigure?"

Shigure jerked his head toward his sister. There were a number of reasons why she would have asked a question such as that one. The first is to stop the looks from the ningens and youkai that see her as a parasite. The other was Karasu. He openly told her that he would not have anything to do with someone like her who's blood was tainted.

"I don't know Sora. I don't see why it matters. You are you, hanyou, ningen or youkai. You will always be my little sister." He could smell her tears as they busted through her eyes.

"Hai Shigure. Arigato anchan. If you will leave for a few minutes I need to change." She knew that he knew she was crying. Just because he could smell her tears. But that didn't mean that she had to let him see her crying like this.

When the door shut she walked to her window and looked out, only to let more tears stream down her face. Karasu was there alright, and mated. Ayame. He mated Ayame. 'Lucky musuinu.'

Then she stared at Karasu. He was talk, dark skin, black hair, and blue eyes. 'I wonder if anyone will ever measure up to him in my eyes. My luck, my youkai will pick someone that I hate and I will be stuck. He does kinda look like Koga though, only better.'

x

This time it was Sora who interrupted the story. Smiling at her mate and pups she said, "Come on. It is time to eat, then after we eat we will finish the story at home."

Koga nodded in agreement. "Hai. Food sounds great."

Akira looked up at her parents with wide eyes. "What! Can't we finish the story and then eat?"

Koga stood up with her and smiled as he led the way with Sora, "Nope. Food then story. Those of you who are still sitting in the tree and on the ground, if you want to hear the story as well, time to eat."

x

Shippo stood next to a beautiful kitsune female as he looked down at the ningen house that Koga shared with Sora. "There it is. That is where I grew up."

Nozomi still had a hard time grasping the thought of her mate growing up with oukami youkai and in a ningen house along with it. "Shippo I am still having a hard time grasping this. Until you, I always thought that our kind and their kind were suppose to be enemies?"

"Hai we are suppose to, but there were different circumstances with Koga than the rest of the oukami tribes." He never thought that he would have fond memories of Koga and his mate Sora. He missed their pups as well. He was only 15 years older than Kosha and Mizuki. When he left, Sora had birthed their fourth set of twins, Isamu and Akira.

"I have not seen or heard from them in 10 years Nozomi." He was more than a little worried about how he was going to be received.

Nozomi held his hand a little tighter and nudged him to go. "I will be right here with you Shippo."

He smiled at his mate. He had not changed that much since he was a child. He got bigger, a better fighter, and he had long hair now. It was still red, but his pony tail hung just past his waist now. He now wore just a simple hakama and haori that was dark blue with light blue trim around his neckline, wrists, waist, and feet.

"Come on." Then he led her down the path off the bluff where he stood.

When they reached the front door he smiled, he could hear someone coming, a sniff of the air told him who was coming. "Back up Nozomi, it is Kosha."

Nozomi stepped to the side in time to see a oukami youkai charge out of home and tackle Shippo! He was quickly followed by a female oukami youkai, and four hanyou! He had told her that they were rough and rowdy on the way there, but she had no clue.

Koga and Sora stood back watching the mess in front of them. They had not seen Shippo for ten years. Then he noticed the aghast looking female kitsune standing off to the side watching the wrestling heap. Then he smiled. "Sora, our little Shippo has a mate."

Sora jerked her head around and looked at the female in question. She was beautiful. She had the same green eyes that Shippo had, but her hair was a golden tan color and just as long. She wore a cream colored hakama and haori with sky blue around the wrists and feet.

Walking over to the female she smiled. "This is refreshing to see you know. They would get into wrestling matches like this almost every day. We have not seen it for ten years now."

Nozomi jumped at the sound of the hanyou female. "Shippo told me about this, demo, it looks more like they are trying to kill each other."

Sora saw the fear in her eyes. She was not use to anything like this and it showed. 'Poor thing will have to get use to it know that she is pack.' "Koga."

"Hai." Koga walked up to the heap of youkai and hanyou and gave a shrill whistle. When they all stopped and looked up at him he said, "Give it up and do this later. I do believe that someone here is upset about this show of emotion."

Shippo gasped and in a move that Nozomi's father showed him pushed both Kosha and Mizuki off of him and went to her. "Gomen nasai Nozomi. I told you that we get carried away. Come with me." Then he took her hand and led her to the group.

He pointed to each one as he said, "This is Kosha, Mizuki, Yuriko, Emiko, Daisuke, and Seiji. They are six of the eight pups that Koga and Sora have. That is Koga and the hanyou female is Sora." He smiled as he looked at Kosha. "I am going to take a wild guess and say the pups behind Sora are Isamu and Akira?"

Kosha was elated to see Shippo. They had spent every day together while they were growing up. When Shippo met up with a kitsune that knew his parents and Shippo decided to go with him to get trained on his Fox Fire and other attacks oukami could not help him with, it crushed him. "Hai that is them. Both are just like Mizuki and I."

Shippo laughed with him as he slid his arm around Nozomi. "Hai. If they are like the two of you, then it is going to be hell around here when they start training." He cleared his throat after that and brought all eyes back to him and Nozomi.

Holding her tight when he felt her start to shake from nerves he whispered in her ear, "Don't worry." Turning back to the pack he puffed out his chest and smiled as he said, "This is Nozomi. My mate."

Kosha stared at the kitsune female next to his brother. Even though he is oukami and Shippo a kitsune, he is still more like a brother since they were raised together and trained together, and everything together. "Congratulations Shippo. I got to tell you though, not what I thought you would bring home with you."

"Nani?"

Mizuki glared at her twin. "Baka." Turning to Shippo and Nozomi she smiled as she reached out and pulled the female away from him and into a hug. "Shippo is one of the pack. He is like an older brother to myself and all the others except Isamu and Akira. They were just a few days old when he left us."

Nozomi was overwhelmed. She hugged the female back and smiled. "Shippo told me about all of you all the time, but I did not think he was serious about how rough you were."

Sora smiled. Nozomi was raised by a kitsune family. They have a mother, father, and then the kids. But when the kids get older, they are mated off and then the parents start all over again. An oukami pack is different. They all live together with the extended family as one big pack.

She pushed her way through the group and snaked an arm around Nozomi's waist and ushered her into their home. "Come with me honey, you pups need to straighten up, you scared the poor girl to death!"


	6. Chapter 6

Once inside Shippo settled down onto a soft pallet of fur and pulled his mate down to sit in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and then asked, "So what's been going on here?"

Koga stretched out on his bed of furs and smiled. "Nothing much. Sesshomaru aint been heard from since mutt boy turned ningen and the Tetsusaiga was destroyed. Just training the pups and relaxing."

Akira clung to her big brother. "Onisan? How do you know him?"

Kosha looked down to his youngest sister pointing to Shippo. He scooped her up and let her cling to his neck as he said, "You know Akira, Shippo can help tell some of the story papa and mama are telling." He smiled as his little sister vaulted out of his arms and to Shippo's side.

Shippo saw movement and smiled at the pup that was perched next to him. "You sure have grown up pup. Last time I saw you, you were just a few days old."

Akira wasted no time. "Did you know mama and papa before they were mates?"

Shippo looked up at Kosha with a quizzical look.

"Papa is telling us the story from the very beginning and leaving nothing out this time."

Shippo smiled, "Well Akira, I only know parts of it, I did not start traveling and living with Koga until after he went to kill a youkai that your grandfather sent him to kill with your mother."

Mizuki smiled as she curled up in a hammock with Isamu. "That is where they are now. They told us that we had to stop and eat then they would finish it."

Shippo smiled. "I will help when I can." He felt a warm feeling come over him as he remembered the times he had with Koga. Before Sora and after. He had always looked to Kagome like a second mother. She looked after him and took care of him like a mother does. Then she mated Bankotsu, Inuyasha turned ningen and mated Kikyo. Everyone that he cared about were ningen's after Naraku was killed. He had hoped that he would get to travel on with Inuyasha and any pups he and Kagome had, but that didn't happen.

When Koga and Sora stopped by the village to talk to Kagome and Bankotsu about the youkai they were tracking and having no luck with, he dared to be bold enough to ask Koga to let him go with him.

He still loved Kagome and the others but he need to bond with someone that would live like him, for hundreds of thousands of years. He told Koga that he kinda felt betrayed by Kagome turning to Bankotsu instead of Inuyasha or even him and wanted to get away for a while.

He had be elated when Koga agreed, and what turned into just a little while, turned out to be a life long thing. Koga was just like a father to him, and he loved Koga just like he would a father.

Koga smiled as he watched his daughter perch herself next to Shippo. He was happy that Shippo had mated and would soon have some kits of his own. "Well who is ready to finish the story?"

"Where are you?"

"Oh we are about to me Karasu."

Shippo laid back and pulled Nozomi to lay back against his chest. "Get comfortable koishii. This is one wild story."

Nozomi had to get use to the display of affection that Shippo showed her in front of others. She had always been taught that the kind of affection he showed her was meant for the bedroom only. Not for everyone to see. But they have been mated a year now and she was still getting use to it.

She settled into his embrace and became instantly entranced by the story.

x

Koga sat at the table for breakfast and was returning the glare that the one he knew as Karasu was giving him. 'What the hell is his problem?'

Ayame had not expected Koga to be there and found this to be very awkward. "Koga. How is Kagome doing?"

"No clue. She mated a murder mercenary."

"Oh. I didn't know. What are you going to do about the jewel shards if she wants them back?"

"She already has them back. I gave them back to her two days ago."

Karasu smiled a feral smile. Now he had his chance. He heard about this Koga. It was said that his strength was attributed to the two jewel shards that he had in his legs. Now that they were gone, it was time that someone of power put this underling in his place. "Well then. It seems that the great and mighty Koga isn't as strong as he use to be without them. Ayame, were you really serious about this guy?"

Ayame glared at Karasu. This was arranged, and not one of a bond or one she was really willing to get into. But Gramps already agreed to the mating before she could protest to it. "Enough Karasu. Don't forget the deal that you made with Gramps. I have a year before this becomes official. So don't push your luck."

"Don't worry. Just a sparing match. I have heard many stories about how he was only as strong as he was because of the jewel shards. Now that he doesn't have them, I wanna see just how strong he really is without them." Then he turned evil eyes back to Koga. "Then perhaps we might go and relieve this ningen female of the jewel."

"You touch her and your dead!"

"Isn't she mated? I do believe that is his job Koga, not yours."

"I don't care who she is mated to! I won't let you touch her!"

Ayame still felt the pain whenever he would talk about Kagome like that. But Karasu was just digging his own grave. "Would the both of you just shut up and drop the whole damned thing! Honestly! Karasu, for the next year don't forget that I have to stay happy or you won't be my mate. This was arranged by your father and my grandfather not us, nor our youkai. Sit down and shut up!"

Koga stared blankly at Ayame. He had never heard of her being rude to anyone, much less threatening them. But he was not going to take this lying down. He glared at Karasu. "Fine you want a sparing match, we will spar. But you leave Kagome alone. Besides, knowing Kagome, the jewel has already been wished out of existence."

"You lie. What ningen would have the power to do that?" Karasu called his bluff. The only one who could do that was a miko that was pure through and through. No miko could be pure if she is mated to one of the Band Of Seven.

"Kagome is a purifying miko jackass. She hated the pain and misery that it caused when she was collecting the shards with Inuyasha and fighting Naraku. I know she would have done it."

Karasu could see that he was getting no where with Koga. He came to rub Ayame in Sora's face. He played interested in her, until he found a youkai that would help him in his rise to power. Who better to aid in that quest than the grand-daughter of the elder. "Sora it is truly a shame that the Shikon Jewel may not be around anymore. That could have made you a youkai."

Karasu found himself in a vice grip on his throat, but not by who he thought. He thought that Soshi would be the one holding him off the ground with the threat of death. It was Koga! "You know what, I think I should just kill you now and get it over with."

Choking Karasu made his situation worse. "Really? Are you mated with Sora? Or is it because she is the product of an abomination mating? A ningen and youkai, the thought sickens me."

Koga growled low in his chest. Losing control and letting his inner youkai come out, and his transformation into a wolf had never been a problem. He threatens to take the jewel from Kagome, who would die before she saw it in his hands, then insults Sora. For some reason, not knowing why, it was the insult on Sora that has his youkai trying to come out and break the leash.

'That is it, he is mine!' Then he threw the oukami through the wall and out of the house. Ignoring the sigh from Soshi and the gasps form the females he stepped through the hole Karasu made.

Karasu glared at the youkai in front of him. "How dare you do that to me you insignificant little peon!"

"Enough!" Then almost instantly there was a huge coal black oukami standing where Koga stood. He was at least two hundred feet tall, the only difference between this form and the other was that the oukami form had claw marks that went across his face in pear blue.

Karasu did not know that Koga was ever strong enough to transform. But he would play this game and transformed himself. A dull grayish black oukami stood in front of Koga. "Come on Koga! Lets get this over with so my mate and I can go home."

Sora stared unbelieving at Koga. 'I never knew that anyone could still look as handsome as he does in that form.'

'No stop it! Bad! Why am I thinking like that about Koga?'

'Your youkai wants to claim him.'

'Shut up you I really can't deal with you right now.'

'You want him.'

'I do not! He is defending myself and Kagome. She is the one that he wants, not me.'

'He wants you.'

'Oh just shut up and go away!' Concentrating on the battle at hand she said, "Ayame, I spared with Koga just yesterday. I could always beat the crap out of Karasu when I sparred with him. But Koga and I are tied. Ten wins for each and ten looses for each. Aren't you worried about your mate?"

"Nope. Karasu is a pompous ass and needs to be brought down a few notches. Koga is just the one to do that."

Sora turned back to watch the battle in awe of Koga once again. Most oukami transformations were simple. They were the color of their hair and nothing more, Koga however had added markings that were beautiful.

When she realized what she was doing again she gasped and dropped her eyes from the fight. 'What is going on with me? Could it be that my youkai is? I hope this doesn't happen! Father how could you do this to me!'


	7. Chapter 7

Koga snarled at Karasu. He would pay for everything that he said today! Without warning he bolted at Karasu surprising the other youkai. He had quite a bit of frustration built up from where Kagome turned to that murderer instead of him. He would take them out on Karasu and hope that he can stop himself before he killed him.

Karasu was shocked to say the least at the strength that Koga still had without his jewel shards! It was all he could do to stay on his feet when Koga lunged at him.

Rolling around on the ground with that bastard on him did nothing for Karasu's pride. He knew that he should submit to Koga, or he was going to die. There was just no way that he could win against Koga! Not in this form. But his damned pride would not let him.

Ayame glared at the two fighting males. 'I wonder if it was really what he said about Kagome that made Koga transform. After all he did not really get violent until he insulted Sora. I bet that is Soshi's plan. To get a bond started. Clever.'

She turned to Sora and calmly said, "Come on Sora. I need to get away from this boyish display, and I want some company."

"Are you sure they will be okay if we leave them alone?" Sora did not like the worry that she had flooding through her when she thought about him fighting. It did not sit well with her that she had to spend the next month at least with him either.

"They will be fine. Come on." Then she grabbed Sora's arm and pulled her away from the battle that was playing in front of them. She did not want to see what Koga would do to her mate, but at the same time did not want him hurt. To keep herself from butting in she left. She hated him, did not want to be his mate, but her gramps was asking her for this and she would try to work it out for him.

When they were far enough away that they could only hear what was going on, not see it Ayame sat down. "Well Sora what youkai are you and Koga going after?"

Sora sighed. "One I could handle by myself. But father wants him to go with me. He said that a youkai like this needs someone who knows what they can do to fight it the right way."

"Knows what they can do?"

"Hai. Father said that Koga had been up against a youkai like this not too long ago and that he would know some ways in finding him and killing him. I don't think it is that hard. You track it, find it, corner it, kill it, you're done." She really did not know what the big fuss was. It was just another lowly youkai making trouble now that Naraku was gone. Nothing she could not handle.

"I wonder if it is a youkai like Naraku was? The only good thing is that the jewel is gone so that won't have a play in any of it."

Sora snapped her head up. What did she mean like Naraku and the jewel being gone? "Nani?"

Ayame sighed. Kagome did nothing wrong, and even kept telling Koga that they were just friends and nothing more, but he was determined. On the way here she took a detour to go and see Kagome and ask her if she had seen Koga.

During their conversation the jewel came up and Kagome told her how she used it to purify Inuyasha and make him ningen and that it disappeared after that and was no longer in existence.

"Hai. I talked to Kagome before we got here. She purified the jewel out of existence. And Naraku was a tricky son of a bitch. A shape shifter among many things. If this youkai is anything like him, trust me girl, you will want Koga's help with it for sure."

"Do you really think that there is another youkai like Naraku out there?"

"I certainly hope not, that would not be a good thing. Naraku was the reason that cost a lot of oukami youkai their lives. That was why Koga was after him. He destroyed just a little over half of Koga's pack."

Sora turned her head in the direction of the fight she could still hear. She had no clue just how devoted anyone outside her own pack was. Her father would have done something like that. "Do you think it still bother's him?"

Ayame smiled as she fell on her back. "I know it does. I have my own pack that I am in charge of outside of my grandfather's. I know what it feels like to have a pack to watch over and protect. I know what it feels like to have their lives in my hands, and I know what I would feel like if some evil youkai came along and tricked them to their deaths and I could do nothing about it."

x

Koga stopped and let a sad look drift slowly across his face when he remembered the ones he lost to that son of a bitch Naraku. One of the ones he lost was someone who was like a brother to him when they were young. It still pained him to think about them to this day.

"Koga you alright? I know that look." Shippo was staring into Koga's eyes intently. Only he and Sora knew what Koga had lost on that day, oh so many years ago when Shippo himself was a tiny kit just taller than Kagome's ankles.

"Hai Shippo I am fie. Just some sad memories. I lost so many of them that day, I did not know if I was ever going to get my pack numbers up again." A small smile to Shippo and Sora set both their minds at ease.

Kosha had been watching intently. Even though Shippo was older than him, he was not that much older than he was. "When did that happen father?"

Shippo knew what a touchy subject that was for his adopted father, so he answered. "That was a long time before Koga met Sora. It was not long after Kagome came to the past and started to travel with me, Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku when we all met Koga. And it was in that week that we met Koga for the first time that Naraku used his damned manipulation to do what he did. Bastard."

Mizuki glared at Shippo. "Language! There are pups in the room Shippo."

Shippo tried to look surprised but it did not work out that well. He bust out laughing, "Hai there are pups in the room. However with a father like Koga, they were hearing that before they were even born!"

Koga glared over at the kitsune. "Watch it Shippo. I am still older and bigger than you are."

"Easy Koga, I didn't mean anything by it. But you have to admit it that it is the truth, right Sora?"

Sora hid a giggle behind her hand as she looked at her mate. "He is right Koga. You have always had a foul mouth on you, even around our pups."

Akira and Isamu nodded to each other while the other youkai and hanyou were debating her father's foul mouth. "Papa you do have a foul mouth, but can we please go on with the story? Isamu and I are getting board listening to you fight over who has a foul mouth and who doesn't."

All eyes turned to the smallest pup in the room. Koga smiled as he beckoned his daughter to him. She instantly obeyed and was in her father's lap with his arm around her. He smiled. "You are right Akira."

"Shippo you come in here soon don't you?"

"Hai. After you and Sora leave to go and hunt for the youkai, you can't find it so they stop and see Kagome and Bankotsu to see if they knew anything. That is when I asked if I could go with you and you let me."

Nozomi kept quiet about when they would and would not start or stop the story. She was eager to hear stories about her mate when he was just a tiny little kit.

Koga smiled as he looked up. "Well, before we head off, I got to finish with the fight between myself and Karasu."

x

Soshi stood by and watched with a smug expression as the two wolves in front of him grappled. They were equal in stature, but Koga had more strength. Strength that he developed while he fought against Naraku and spent all that time away from his pack. Karasu had no clue what he was getting himself into with this oukami youkai.

Karasu struggled to get out from under Koga for the hundredth time it seemed like! 'How can he still have this much strength without the jewel shards!? I don't understand?' Finally getting out from underneath him, he turned and lunged, this time pinning Koga to the ground.

Koga snarled and closed his eyes. He was going to kill this youkai if he did not back down. His youkai had taken control and transformed him, but this baka was threatening to have his youkai take over his mind as well! In a flash of fur he had the tables turned and a now frozen Karasu in his jaws. Just a snap away from ripping his throat out.

Soshi dared to approach them. He looked up in Karasu's eyes and sternly said, "If you don't back down and submit, then you will die. Koga is holding back, I can smell it. If you used your nose or your head once in a while they you would have known it to. Baka."

Karasu sighed and let his body go limp and felt a huge relief when Koga let go of his neck. In a whirl of energy and wind, both transformed back into their more ningen forms. Koga still glaring at Karasu. "Now just stay out of my way. You ever look like harming Kagome or insulting Sora I will let my youkai come all out and kill you."

Soshi smiled. He looked at Koga and nodded with approval. Koga had gotten mad when Karasu brought up the miko Kagome. When he insulted Sora is when his youkai took control. 'Spending all day yesterday sparing with her must have started something. I hope so.'

Koga stomped up to Soshi and growled out, "What kind of youkai are we going to be dealing with? I got to get Ginta, Hakaku, and then go and get Sora so I can get the hell out of here before I kill that bastard."

Soshi nodded and said, "Come." And went back toward the house with Koga following behind.

Karasu stood glaring after them. He was fuming! He reached up and felt his neck, then his eyes went wide in shock! He did not think that what Koga had done penetrated his skin in that grip but he did, and the blood still trickled down his neck. 'I got to go and see Ryuiji and tell him of the new events. Koga will die against him!'

Then he turned and speed off following the scent of his mate and the damned hanyou. He would make an excuse and then leave to meet him. He had hoped that this would be a way to get rid of the weak link in the oukami tribe through out all the lands. A hanyou brought everyone down. Now he gets to get rid of Koga as well. 'Mattaki.'


	8. Chapter 8

Kagome sat and stared around her. Over the last month she, Bankotsu, Jakotsu and all the others have set up a little village. There were just enough huts in it for them, but she was hopeful that with her knowledge of history, this was the right spot to build a village. It was in walking distance of the well and that was most important to her.

Even though she used the jewel to purify Inuyasha into a ningen, and to give Kikyo a real body back and her life back, she was still able to pass through the well with Bankotsu. Inuyasha however could not do it anymore.

She hoped that her children could pass through the well when they were born. She knew her mother would love to hold them, spoil them and everything else. She laid a hand across her belly that was just now starting to show a little roundness. To those who were not youkai, or did not know them she did not look like she was with child yet.

But the best thing that happened was between her and Bankotsu. No matter how far away they were. Or what the other was doing they could talk telepathically with each other.

Then she got that sudden feeling that she knew all to well. Someone was coming, but she did not know who it was. 'Bankotsu where are you?'

'On my way home with Jakotsu and Inuyasha. What is wrong?'

She stood and went in the house to get her bow and arrows. 'Someone is coming here. I can feel it.'

'Do you think it is dangerous?'

'Iie. I have had this feeling before when Koga would come around, but there is something different about him today.'

'Probably still mad about us.'

'No not that, I don't know, just hurry.'

'Hai.' Bankotsu looked over at Jakotsu and Inuyasha and frowned. Jakotsu was still trying to get Inuyasha to turn himself back into a hanyou for his ears. "Enough! Come on, Kagome might be in trouble. She said she has the feeling she gets when that damned oukami would come and see her before, but it is different."

Then the three of them took off at break neck speed.

Kagome reached her front door with an arrow notched in her bow just in time to see Koga, Ginta, Hakaku and a female hanyou stop at her door. "Koga?"

Koga threw his hands up to stop her from shooting him. "Hai Kagome it is me. I brought Ginta and Hakaku with me. This is Sora. We have a question for you."

Kagome rushed to Koga and hugged him. She thought for sure that he was going to stay away and she would never see him again! "It is good to see you Koga. You too Ginta. Hakaku." And she went to the other two youkai she knew. When she got to Sora she pulled her into a fierce hug and said, "I am happy to meet you Sora." 'It is okay koishii. It is just Koga and his friends. You don't have to hurry if you don't want to. They said they wanted to ask me something.'

'Nani?'

Kagome turned back to Koga and asked, "What is it that you want to ask me?"

Koga flopped down in frustration. This youkai that they were trying to track always stayed just ahead of them. They had spent the last month doing nothing but tracking it and it still evaded all four noses! "We need to ask you if you know anything about a youkai that is like Naraku showing it's head around here."

Kagome gasped and let her hand fall on her belly. Thinking the same thing so that Bankotsu could know what he asked she said, and thought, "We have not heard anything like that. Do you really think that there is another youkai out there that is like Naraku was?" She got no response from Bankotsu, but the worry that washed over her told her he had speed up on that one.

Koga growled at nothing and punched the ground. "Damn it!"

Kagome knew that when Bankotsu got back, if he found her on the ground he would have a fit. She turned and went back to her chair outside her home and sat down. "Why do you think this youkai is like Naraku?"

Ginta sat down next to Koga and Hakaku next to him. He stretched and she said, "Well Kagome, Soshi, Sora's father asked us to go with Sora to find a youkai that had been attacking Sora's mother's village. We have been trying to find him for a month now! All the villagers that Sora talks to describe him differently."

"A Shape Shifter."

"Hai."

Kagome let a haze cover her eyes as she blocked out everyone an everything and relived the time that they spent fighting Naraku. It was pure hell! Then she sighed. "At least you will only have the regular strength of the youkai to tend with. The Shikon Jewel is gone."

Koga jerked his head up in shock! "Nani?"

Kagome smiled. "I used it to turn Inuyasha ningen and fully restore Kikyo's life to her. That purified it and once it was totally purified, it turned to dust in the wind and was gone."

Sora glared at Kagome. Koga talked about her a lot, and it always bothered her. She knew why that was. Her youkai had claimed Koga. But she would not let her heart go to him. Even though he was a pompous ass, she still loved Karasu. 'Once this is over then I will be okay.'

She had to keep herself under control when the ningen onna hugged Koga. She got a sudden urge to rip her head off! But the smell of the woman told her that she was mated. And pregnant. And besides, she did not want Koga. Her inner youkai did, but her heart did not.

x

The story was interrupted by Akira's growls. Shippo reached over and laid his hand on her head. "Don't worry. Part of the story that I will give away is that any comparing they do with the other, is good. Don't get all upset."

Akira looked at Shippo and asked, "Are you sure?"

Shippo pulled her down with his arm in a warm embrace. "Hai pup. It won't be long now when I ask Koga if I can travel with him."

Akira's eyes lit up as she looked into Shippo's green eyes. "And while you are with him, he does not compare mama to Kagome anymore?"

"Well he does. But it is more in favor of your mother than it is for Kagome then. He is trying to argue with himself that he is still in love with Kagome and not your mother. But in the end realizes he is really in love with your mother."

"So there is no one else before mama other than Kagome?"

Shippo smiled at the pup. He could tell that she was Sora's pup. Sora had been told stories about love at first sight and true love by her mother. And she passed it down to her pups. "Iie. No more."

Akira sighed as she let herself relax in the firm grip of the kitsune. Her parents and brothers and sisters didn't argue with him. So she would let herself relax now.

Koga glared over at Shippo. "Go ahead Shippo and brag about it. Damn kitsune."

Shippo smiled over at Koga. "Hai. Hard to believe that when we first met you pulled me off your tail and tried to feed me to your wolves."

Shippo and Koga had forgotten that the pups did not know about how they met, but when they heard the collective gasps they both bust out laughing. Kosha, Koga, Sora, and Mizuki were the only ones who knew just exactly how Shippo and Koga had met.

Kosha was the one to speak up. "A good year or more before Father met mama was when he first met Kagome. She had the power to see the Shikon No Tama shards so father kidnapped her to be his jewel detector. Shippo was right next to Kagome and grabbed his tail. When they got back here he pealed him off his tail and tossed him into the wolves."

Shippo looked at Akira and said, "Kagome was the one who saved me. She refused to do anything he told her or anything else if I died. He moved the wolves and tossed me back to Kagome. That was how we met."

Akira did not like it. All the talk about Kagome was getting on her nerves. But she would deal with it. It was a part of the story and she really wanted to hear the story.

"Hai. How much more of the story has Kagome in it papa?"

Shippo looked at her odd. Why did it seem like she did not like Kagome? What was it about the story having Kagome in that angered her he wondered.

Sora saw the look that Shippo was giving Akira. "Akira does not like it that her father had feelings for someone before me. She is my hopeless romantic."

Shippo nodded and smiled. He understood now that he was mated what Akira was going through. He had mated the one that he had fallen in love with. But he could understand how she felt about it. "I get you Akira. Since you like stories like that, not today, but one day Nozomi and I will come and tell you our story. We mated, and was the first that each other fell in love with."

Akira beamed at that. She loved stories about true love. And she liked even more the stories about two youkai meeting, falling in love and mating before anyone else came into play. "Hai Shippo that would be great. If you don't mind either Nozomi?"

Nozomi had been watching Shippo with Akira and could not wait to have a kit of her own to watch him with. "Hai that sounds wonderful."

Koga cleared his throat and said, "Well it is time to get the story started again don't you think." He smiled before he started telling the story again. Shippo was not his pup, but he felt like he was, and all his other pups were there as well. He could not be happier than this moment.


	9. Chapter 9

Bankotsu did not stop until he was at Kagome's side. He bent down and looked in her eyes. 'Koishii?' He could feel the fear rolling off of her.

'I am fine, no one tried to hurt me. Bankotsu, they think there is a youkai like Naraku. Different shapes, can't find him even though they smell him everywhere!' Kagome was now shaking. She knew that she was strong enough to deal with a weak Naraku, but her baby!

Bankotsu pulled her up and into his arms. Thankful that she stopped shaking. He turned and looked at Koga. "What are you doing here?"

Koga stood tall. He had not come to make her upset or scared. "I did not come with the intention of stressing Kagome. I was called to the Western Lands to see Soshi, the leader of the Western Tribe. He asked me to go with his daughter Sora to stop a youkai that was attacking her mother's village. We cant find the bastard. His smell is all over the place, but I can't find the son of a bitch."

Ginta spoke up next. "And everyone who says they saw him describe him totally different. Like he is a Shape sifter or something."

Inuyasha glared over at Koga. "So what is the problem?"

Koga did not even look his way. He had the chance to be youkai, but chose to be ningen for Kikyo instead. Still looking at Bankotsu, "We are having a hell of a time with it. We are not here to ask for help, just if you have heard anything."

Kagome turned in Bankotsu's grip and smiled warmly at Koga. "No we have not heard anything. But if we do, I will send someone to let you know what we found out."

Koga threw a glance at Sora. She was growling. It was low enough that only he and maybe Ginta and Hakaku heard it but she was miffed about something. Looking back at Kagome he nodded. "Arigato. Bankotsu. Congratulations. Please take care of her and the baby."

Bankotsu saw a true hurt in the oukami youkai's eyes. "Hai. Don't worry about that." Then he watched as he ran off. As soon as they were gone He sat down with Kagome and the others. They needed to work out a plan if this youkai came to the village they were wanting to start.

Shippo woke up when he heard Koga's voice. He had been taking a nap in the house. Standing just inside the door of the house he sat down and hugged his knees. The plans they were making did not involve him. He felt more and more of late that he has been forgotten about.

Kagome went back to her time for a week right after the house was built. While she was gone, not even Miroku and Sango talked to him or had anything to do with him that much. When she got back she said she went to the doctor in her time and had something that she wanted everyone to hear.

It was a recording of her baby's heartbeat. Since that day, even she pays little attention to him. He felt kind of betrayed by her. She had always been a mother to him and now that she as going to be a mother, it is like she forgot about him.

"Koga." The whisper was not even loud enough for him to hear. Koga must have felt betrayed by Kagome as well. He always knew that if she turned him down it would more than likely be for Inuyasha. Not Bankotsu. 'I wonder if he would let me travel with him for a while?'

Sneaking out the back he circled around and began to follow Koga's scent. Shippo had his life all planned out. He was going to stay with Kagome and Inuyasha. When Kagome died he was going to stay with Inuyasha and the pups they had and let Inuyasha train him. But Kagome falling in love with a ningen cut that out partly. Inuyasha was his last hope.

Bu then he went ningen and mated with Kikyo. Sango and Miroku were ningen to start with so they were no help. 'I need to find a youkai that I can tag along after until I am big enough to fend for myself. Hopefully Koga will understand my plight and let me stay with him.'

x

Koga stopped just after dark and told everyone that they were going to make camp there that night. It was that night. Tonight Sora was going to become ningen again and they were at a little cave. She would stay in the cave until morning and then they would move on.

Sora smiled a thank you to Koga. He had questioned her the instant they left the village why she was growling at Kagome. Her answer seemed to be enough for him though. She told him that she was growling in frustration that she did not know anything about the youkai and how someone he said was so strong seemed to be weak since she became with child.

He couldn't argue about that much. She took her time in eating. Seeing the last of the sun sink behind the mountain, she felt that familiar pulse that radiated her body. Then she was ningen. Ginta and Hakaku were told when the journey started. Koga said they needed to know since they were going to help protect her on that night.

Koga sat up in a tree as he smelled the change taking place. He looked down at the female he traveled with. She was ningen now. For some reason his want to protect her increased the second her scent changed.

'Why do I want to protect her so badly?'

'Mate.'

'No way! Not that she wouldn't be a bad choice, but I just got my heart broke last month. Too soon.'

'MATE!'

Koga was pulled instantly out of his argument with his inner youkai when he picked up the scent of a kitsune coming toward them. "Sora in the cave now!"

Jumping down he put himself between the kitsune and the cave. Ginta and Hakaku getting between Koga and the cave as well. He would not let anything happen to her!

Then Koga quirked his head to the side. "I know this kitsune."

Ginta walked up to Koga and nodded. "It smells like the kit that traveled with Kagome. What was his name?"

"Shippo."

"Hai."

Shippo jumped out of the bushes and stopped when he saw the weapons drawn. "Don't kill me! I just wanted to come and talk to Koga."

Koga looked at the kit odd. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Please Koga. In private?" Shippo knew that Ginta and Hakaku would find out if Koga agreed to let him go, but he wanted to ask without them around.

Koga saw the change in the kit's behavior. He was not the usual scared child that was clinging to Kagome tonight. He was there for a reason, and the fact that he was alone in this area said it was important to him. "Hai. Come on." And he led him into the forest far enough that Ginta and Hakaku could not hear him. "What is it kitsune?"

Shippo looked up at Koga with his best grown up face. "I want to know if I can come and live with you Koga. I need a youkai to train me. I won't be there long and I will train hard! I had my life planned out around Kagome and Inuyasha. I always thought that they would mate. Then I would have a family again. After Kagome died I would stay with Inuyasha until I became an adult and mated. Then he turned into a ningen to be with Kikyo. Kagome mated Bankotsu and Sango and Miroku made it official. They are all expecting babies, and starting the village. I got forgotten about. When I did try to get some attention from Kagome she always told me 'later'."

He had to take a minute to keep from crying. He wanted to look strong to Koga so he would say yes.

Koga flopped down beside him and looked up in the sky. "You feel betrayed by the ones you cared about huh Shippo."

A sharp nod was the only answer he could give and not break down and cry.

Koga knew just how the kitsune felt. He was not about to turn him away in the shape he was in. "Sure you can come. Stay as long as you like."

"Do you mean it?"

"Hai. Although, onegai shimasu."

"What is that Koga?"

"Smell the ningen in the cave?"

"Hai."

"She will be hanyou in the morning."

"Just like Inuyasha use to do. Don't worry Koga. I won't tell anyone. I never told when Inuyasha's was."

"Tame. Do we need to let Kagome know where you are?"

"Hai. I did not leave a note because I did not know if you would let me stay with you."

"I will send Hakaku back and let her know. He is faster than Ginta." Then he stood up and smiled when Shippo jumped up on his shoulder.

x

"How old were you then Shippo?" Akira was interested now. They talked like he was tiny when this happened!

Shippo smiled as he looked up. He was only six when he started traveling with Kagome. He had not been with her a year yet when he left with Koga. "I was about six or seven."

Akira stared at him dumbstruck. "You were that little?"

"Hai. I was tiny. But that has been almost a hundred and twenty years ago Akira." He let his arm around Nozomi tighten. He would not have changed the way things went about for anything. Not even the sacred jewel.

If things had been different he did not think that he would have ever met his mate, and the thought actually scared him!

Koga smiled. He had not realized that it had been that long. "Okay, okay, on with the story."


	10. Chapter 10

Kagome was walking around the hut calling out Shippo's name. It was not like him to be outside, even in the small group of huts that they had after dark. Going back to the door she saw Sango going inside her hut. "Sango!"

Sango turned toward Kagome's voice, "Nani?"

"Have you seen Shippo? The last time I saw him he was taking a nap, before Koga and his friends showed up."

Sango quirked her head to the side. It was not like Shippo to leave Kagome's side for anything. "I haven't seen him." Then they both looked up when they heard someone yelling for Kagome.

It was Hakaku! Kagome and Sango met half way between their homes and waited for him to approach.

Hakaku was glad that Kagome was outside. He did not like the looks that Bankotsu was giving them earlier. It scared him to death almost. He came to a stop and tried to catch his breath. "Hey Kagome."

"What are you doing here Hakaku?"

Standing up the oukami youkai looked at her with unsure eyes. "I don't know how you are going to take this Kagome, but Shippo is with Koga right now. We stopped to camp and after we all ate Koga said he smelled a kitsune. Then Shippo came out of the bushes. He asked if he could travel with Koga and live with us at the den. He said that he felt like no one here had time for him. You having a baby, Sango and Miroku working. He felt especially betrayed that Inuyasha turned ningen."

Kagome felt her head reeling and knew that Bankotsu was on his way out of their home. Shippo had left them. "I haven't really been spending as much time as I should have with him as of late. I just figured he would realize that things would be more normal when the baby was born. Why does he feel betrayed about Inuyasha?"

Bankotsu was suddenly there surprising everyone except Kagome. "What are you doing here oukami?"

Kagome glared at him over her shoulder for a second. "Shippo left Bankotsu. He went to join Koga and the oukami youkai."

Hakaku nodded and added, "He feels betrayed by Inuyasha because he felt he would always have someone to protect him and look after him in Inuyasha since he was hanyou. But when he turned ningen to be with Kikyo, he felt betrayed."

Kagome looked down. "What did Koga say?"

"He said that he understood how he felt. He is going to take Shippo under his wing and let him come with use. As long as you agree to it Kagome."

Kagome felt like a piece of her life was being torn apart. Everything seemed perfect! Inuyasha and Kikyo were both ningen and alive and happy in love. She had Bankotsu, Sango and Miroku were married, and Shippo was still there with her. The first one of her group to join with her and Inuyasha.

'Koishii?'

'Hai Bankotsu?'

'Give your permission. I grew attached to him as well and hate seeing him leave, demo, Koga is a youkai. Shippo is a youkai. By the time we die from old age, Shippo will not have changed at all.'

'I know, I am going to give my permission, but it is hard to say it. Would you?'

'Hai.' Drawing his wife into his arms he looked at the oukami who kept his head down. He was surprised that he knew to show respect. "Hai. Shippo can go with you and Koga. With everyone he knows and cares about being ningen, we will be gone before he grows another inch."

Hakaku nodded. He could already picture the fight that Koga was going through with Sora. "Arigato." Then instead of running away, he turned and walked away. The questioning stares that he knew he was getting from the females made him turn and smile. "Sora wants to get done with this mission so that she can go home. I can only imagine the fight she and Koga are in over the kid. But it will be alright. Ginta and I will keep him with us when Koga is fighting."

Kagome called after him, "Be sure that he says safe!" 'Do you really think that he will be okay with them?'

'Hai. I really do. Come on. Lets go to bed.'

x

"Papa is that the last time that you talk about Kagome?" Akira did not want to sound pushy but she only wanted to hear about her mother and father. Not the woman before her mother.

Shippo was the one who spoke up. "Hai. She was not out of our lives though until she died from old age. But for the stories sake she will not have a big roll in it. I went back three times to see her. When her kids were born. But other than that I spent the time with Koga and training with him."

Akira sighed a big sigh of relief causing everyone in the room to laugh. She looked up at her mother and gave her a questioning look.

Sora smiled and pointed at her. "You wanted this story remember. We told you the first time that Kagome came up that she was a big part of the beginning of the story. So you brought the aggravation on yourself pup."

"But mama! If you would have told me that before the story got started then I would have asked for a different one."

Mizuki smiled at her little sister as she scooped her up. She was very protective over all her younger brothers and sisters. "Yes you would have imoutosan. You wanted to hear this story just as much as the rest of us. Kagome or no Kagome."

Akira started to retaliate, but thought twice of it. "You are right Mizuki. But I still don't have to like the fact that papa loved someone before mama."

"No you don't have to like it. But the bond he thought he had with Kagome, and the bond he has with mama, there is no comparing the two of them. The one he had with Kagome was on nothing but feelings of the heart. The bond he has with mama is more than that. Mama is his other half, and he is mama's other half."

Akira had never looked at it like that. When a youkai, or hanyou mated, they mated for life, and the bond that they had connected them on a soulful level. She nodded and smiled at her older sister. "You are right."

Shippo was on his feet helping Nozomi up as well. "Well guys, we got to be going. Our den is on the other side of the mountain. Any of you are more than welcome to stop by whenever you like."

Akira looked up from her spot with Mizuki. "Why can't you stay?"

Shippo walked over and tussled the pups hair. "We got things that we got to take care of pup. You got almost a hundred years before you got to worry about anything like this. We will come back for a visit another day."

"Promise?"

"Hai."

Koga watched as everyone told Shippo bye and Nozomi. 'Kagome, he turned out great. Just like I knew he would, and I am sure you always knew he would also.' All the years of breaking up fights between him and Daisuke, Kosha joining him in irritating Mizuki. Watching Sora treat him like her own pup, right along with the rest of them, and so many more memories flooded him.

"Shippo."

"Hai Koga."

"I'll be over sometime in the next couple of days."

Shippo welled with pride. He wanted to show Koga that he taught him well. He picked the perfect place to have a home and raise a family with Nozomi. "Hai." Then he left with his mate.

Once outside, Nozomi looked over at Shippo as they walked. He was clearly in his own little world again. He told her about Kagome before and she thought that the talk about Kagome in the story has made him think about her.

She loved to steal moments like this and just admire him. Even though he wore his hair in a ponytail the rust red color fell to his waist. It was just perfect, never had a tangle. His emerald green eyes held a warmth and compassion that she loved, and the heart of a warrior that she knew would protect her.

"Shippo?"

Shippo smiled at his mate. "Hai?"

"Thinking about Kagome again?"

"Iie. I as thinking about my life with Koga. It was one wild ride let me tall you."

"Perhaps that is a story that you can share with our kits when we have some."

"Hai. But not for a bedtime story. Too much rowdy in it."

Nozomi laughed as Shippo spun her around and into his arms. When he dropped a kiss to her mouth she froze. Her hands clenched his clothing and held on with a death grip. She felt like the sensation of lightning was railing in her spine. Every time he kissed her like this. 'He keeps this up, we will not have to wait long before we start a family.'

x

Koga smiled as his pups all settled down. "It was good to see Shippo again don't you think?"

Sora smiled. Shippo was not a kitsune that lived with the oukami youkai tribe. He was and always will be her eldest pup. "I wonder, when he will be a father. You know Koga. That would technically make you a grandfather. After all we were parents to Shippo than we were the ones he lived with."

Koga jerked his head to look at his mate. He had not thought of that. Shippo was like a pup to him. Was his pup. When he and Nozomi have kits of their own, he would be called ojiisan! "I never thought of that one. It only makes sense the eldest of our pack giving us our first grandchild."

Kosha smiled. He would not mind being called uncle by one of Shippo's kits.

Akira huffed. "Father, the story please?"

Koga laughed and smiled. "Hai the story. Well while we were waiting to see what Kagome had told Hakaku about Shippo staying or not, your mother and I had our first big fight. She did not want a kid to tag along after us and slow us down while we were fighting."


	11. Chapter 11

Sora glared at Koga. He called her out of the cave with a kitsune child on his shoulder. Knowing that this was her ningen night, and having promised not to tell she was furious. "What the hell have you done?!"

Koga glared right back. "Look, the kit and I have something in common. We were both betrayed by Kagome. He wants a youkai to look after him, and I understand how he feels. I am letting him stay."

Crossing her arms she stomped up to Koga and looked up into his blue eyes. They were mesmerizing and she felt like she was loosing control. She always had her emotions running wild on her ningen night. "You bastard! What good is a kid that can't fight?"

"Simple. He will stay with the other two youkai that are with us that run from fights. Ginta and Hakaku."

"I won't have it!"

"You don't have to worry about it. He is my responsibility. Not yours. So back off and leave him alone." Then he walked over and sat down in front of the fire. He took what food was going to be his and gave Shippo some of it.

Shippo smiled and ate the food. "Arigato Koga."

"Don't mention it."

Sora sat down and glared at Koga. She really couldn't do anything about who he let tag along after him, but she did not want it to be a kid. She didn't care that the kitsune had been betrayed like him by Kagome.

Kagome. That was why he was keeping the kit with him. "Are you keeping him with you because he reminds you of Kagome?"

Koga looked shocked at her. "Nani?"

"Because he use to travel with Kagome, is that the reason why he is here with you now and not sent home." Sora knew that her jealousy over Kagome was showing full throttle, but she could not stop it. She did not want her youkai to claim Koga. She wanted to remain unmated her entire life!

Koga glared at her and growled. "No it is not because of Kagome I am letting him stay. I get where he is coming from. Inuyasha is ningen now and no longer hanyou. Everyone that he cares about is ningen, and will die before he even grows a single inch. By the time he is half grown he would have watched as Kagome , her kids, her grand kids, and her great grandkids all lived and died. With me, I will stay the same. And I can train him so that he won't be helpless. What can a ningen do to train a youkai?"

Sora felt like pure crap for throwing that at him. She knew how he felt right about now. She felt the same way about Karasu. Heartbroken. "Gomen nasai." Then she laid down and put her back to Koga. Tears streaming down her face because of how she knew that she hurt him. She didn't mean to.

Koga smiled. "Don't worry about it. I get it. Inuyasha would always loose control of his emotions when he turned ningen as well. Nothing to cry over. Just get some sleep. You too Shippo. I will let you know what Kagome tells Hakaku in the morning."

Shippo nodded and jumped down in his lap and curled up and was asleep instantly.

Koga was knew to this. But it felt good to have someone trust him as much as the kitsune did. Considering only a little less than a year ago he had tried to feed him to his wolves. He looked up when he saw Hakaku coming down the road.

"Well. What did she say about Shippo?"

"She don't care if he stays. Just to keep him safe and bring him around to visit once in a while." Hakaku sat down and tore off some food for himself. "Where is Ginta?"

Koga looked around. "I don't know. Me and Sora had it out over Shippo. He probably took off to get away from that." A sniff of the air told him that he was indeed sitting in a tree not to far off. "Go and get the baka. He is in a damned tree somewhere that way."

Hakaku nodded and went to get Ginta.

x

Kosha was the one who interrupted the story this time, laughing. He knew that it happened. But he still couldn't get over the fact that his father tried to feed his brother to his wolves. "Gomen. I still just find it funny that you tried to feed Shippo to the wolves. Then you were the one that he turned too when he felt like everyone else betrayed him."

Koga smiled. "I was just as shocked when he asked. Considering I did try to kill him, I did not think that he would have turned to me. But I would be lying if I said that I wish it would have been different. I could not imagine life without Shippo now. What about you Sora?"

Sora smiled and shook her head. "Iie. Shippo is pack. Even if I was more than a little miffed about him joining us on my ningen night."

Mizuki smiled. The look in her mother's and father's eyes when they looked at each other was one of true peace and bond. "Hai. Shippo is my older brother after all. Yours too Kosha."

Kosha looked at his twin. "This I have never argued with and never will. I wonder when I will be an uncle?"

Koga laughed. "The same time I will be a grandfather."

"Dad!" Kosha glared at his father. "I was being serous. I don't have much experience with the smell of a kitsune when she is pregnant, but there was something off about her scent."

Sora smiled at her son. "She is ready. That is what you smell. I have a feeling that sometime in the next week, Shippo will be back with her to let us know that we are going to be grandparents, aunts and uncles."

Koga smiled at his mate. "Hai. I noticed it as well."

Isamu looked up at his father like he was insane. "What are you talking about otousan? She just smelled like a female kitsune to me."

Everyone, except for Akira who was nodding in agreement with her twin burst into a fit of laughter. Akira and Isamu both said, "What is so funny?" at the same time.

Daisuke was the one who spoke up. "You are still too young to start to notice the difference in a female when it is the time for her to become with child and when it is not. You will know what we mean when you get older."

Isamu looked up at his mother who was giggling behind her hand. "Mama!"

"Gomen sochi. But Daisuke is right. You will learn what we are talking about when you get older. Right now you are just a child, be a child." Wrapping her arms around him she sighed.

"Whatever you say mama."

Akira glared at her twin and her eldest brother. "If the two of you are done interrupting the story, I would like to hear the rest of it now if you don't mind."

Koga smiled. "Hai pup. Here we go."

x

Koga shook Shippo awake just after dawn. "Come on kit. It is time to head out."

Shippo opened his eyes and looked up at Koga. Then the night before came flooding back to him. "What did Kagome say?"

Koga smiled as he stood up. "Welcome to my pack kitsune." He was taken aback but smiled when Shippo lunged up onto his shoulder and held on.

"Great! So what is the deal with a youkai like Naraku." He had heard what they were saying, but wanted to know more. After all he was there the whole time himself as well.

Koga waited for everyone to be ready to leave. He and Sora led the way as he told Shippo what they new. "Well all we really know is that the youkai is attacking people from the ningen village where Sora's mother use to live. We talk to people, and the description changes every time. His scent is all over the place and we can't figure out where he is."

Sora looked over and added, "And for some reason, he likes to target young women when they are alone in the woods."

Shippo quirked his head to the side. He can do a perfect transformation as long as he dose not try to get out of hand with it. Changing into a young woman in a simple kimono would be nothing. He could change into Kagome perfectly when they were fighting the Thunder Brothers. And it only got better the more he practiced.

Tapping Koga on the shoulder, "Koga I can help you with that one I think. I am a ton better at my transformations now. I can transform into a ningen woman and go out picking herbs in the woods and see if he attacks me."

Koga stared at him with a smile. "Shippo, the last time that I saw your transformations was when you were trying to help get Kagome out of my den when I kidnapped her. Your tail will give you away."

Shippo heard the low growl coming from the hanyou beside them. He did not know if it was because they were talking about Kagome, or because she did not think that Koga was being serous. "Look Koga I'll show you." Then he leapt off of Koga and landed in a puff of smoke.

Sora stared unbelieving at the figure that stood in front of her. It was her ningen form! "How did you do that?"

Shippo smiled. He could even get the voices right now. "I only have to meet you once and then I can transform into you. I even have your voice. And look Koga, no tail." And he spun around to show his back to Koga.

Koga smiled. It just might work. There was one ningen woman who got away from him. She said that he said he would get her sooner or later when she had to return to the woods. "Sora. The one that got away from him. He could turn into her and go back in the woods."

Sora thought for a second. He had a point. The one that got away. He would be ready to pounce on that. He would not even use his nose for it. The humility that she gave him by getting away would be more than he could handle. He would jump at the chance to kill her. "Hai. That is a good idea. But we will need to get him out of there fast when the youkai figures out he is youkai and not a ningen onna."

Shippo changed back to his kitsune form and was once again on Koga's shoulder. He waited to see what Koga would say. Kagome would never let him do anything like this because she said it was too dangerous. But he wanted to prove that he would be strong enough to live with Koga and worthy enough for Koga to train.

Koga thought for a second. If it looked dangerous he could swoop in and get Shippo and hand him off to Ginta and Hakaku before the youkai knew what hit him. Then a combined attack from him and Sora would be enough to kill it. "Hai. I know exactly what we need to do. And Shippo, this is all in your hands if we get him or not. Don't let me down."

Shippo beamed with pride. "I won't Koga. I promise."


	12. Chapter 12

Shippo walked along slowly, looking all around. He had to act like he was a frightened ningen onna. Well the frightened part he had down no matter what. He just had to make sure he held the form of the ningen onna that he had.

Koga and Sora watched with anxious eyes as Shippo acted the part he was suppose too. "He is good at this."

"Hai. I had no idea he could do this." Whenever Koga would be around Shippo he was always trying to talk to Kagome and fighting with Inuyasha to notice what the kitsune could or couldn't do.

Then suddenly he stopped. The smell of the youkai heading full speed at Shippo. Even transformed like this he could smell like a youkai. So he knew that he was coming. That much was for sure.

From where he would hear Kagome scream over everything when he first started to travel with her he turned and screamed as he fell to the ground. Their in front of him was some sort of collection of youkai in one body. Though weak looking at best.

Ryuiji glared down at the onna that had evaded him. "You got away from me once, you won't do it again. Now you die!"

Shippo smelled Koga coming so he played the scared female and screamed as he curled into a ball only to be picked up seconds later by Koga.

Sora came up behind Ryuiji and glared at him. Once Koga had Shippo out of the way she leapt up and ran her blade through his shoulder and ground, pinning him there.

Ryuiji was not a fighter. Not against other youkai, seeing the hanyou and youkai standing in front of him he froze and turned scared eyes to both of them. "What have I done to you?"

Koga sat Shippo down. "You tell me what you have done. That village didn't do anything to you and it is the only one you are terrorizing. There are other villages that you could do at the same time. If you were truly a powerful youkai, then you would be able to handle more than one small village."

Sora leaned down and growled out, "Not to mention that is the village that my ningen mother was from. That made it personal. You are to weak to have done much. Who were you ordered by. And don't make me ask twice."

Ryuiji was no fool. He knew who the hanyou was. Sora. Soshi's daughter and the one that he was told to kill. And last month Karasu told him about Koga and said that Koga sucked when it came to fighting and he wanted him to kill him. He had no clue that Koga knew one of the females in the village and would run to save her. "Karasu. He ordered it. The plan was to kill the villagers one by one and attract your attention. Then when you came to kill me, surprise you and kill you. When he learned that Koga was coming with you, he wanted me to kill you both. Please don't kill me."

"How pathetic. How did a youkai like you ever get a job like this one."

Ryuiji jerked his head toward the onna who did not sound like she did a minute ago. "You stay out of it wench. If it were not for you, I would have succeeded!"

Shippo smiled a feral smile. "Wench. I am a kitsune youkai. Not a ningen onna baka." Then with a puff of smoke he was the short youkai that barely came past Koga's ankles. He smiled as he jumped up on Koga's shoulder.

Koga did not like the look that came into the youkai's eyes. "Shippo I want you to go back to Ginta and Hakaku. Now."

Shippo nodded and took off. He did not want to wait around to see why he was telling him to leave. But he would do as Koga bid him to do. After all it was Koga who just let him join in his first fight.

x

Sora was the one who stopped the story this time. She smiled when she got a groaned out "Mama!" from all eight of her pups. "Don't give me that. It is late and this story is not going to be told in a single day or evening. It is a rather long story."

Akira crossed her arms and growled. "It just got to a good part that I was getting into and you are stopping it. Why mama?"

Sora scooped up her youngest pup and said, "It is late and it is time for all pups to be in bed."

Isamu who was sitting with Kosha looked at him and said, "You are lucky. You are an adult and don't have to go to bed when mama says so."

Kosha laughed and picked him up tossing him accords the room to his father. "Don't bet on that one shatei. Mama made it clear that as long as our room is in this house, we go by what she and father say. That means even myself and Mizuki have to go to bed."

Koga caught his youngest son and hauled him over his shoulder. "Yep that's right. So just go to bed and after breakfast in the morning I will pick up from where we left off."

Isamu propped up on his shoulder over his father's back. "If we have to. Man I love stories about your battles and now I have to wait to hear it."

Yuriko who had be quiet for the most part of the day, just taking in everything and admiring Nozomi finally spoke. "Don't worry Isamu. I will go in with you and Akira and tell you a story for bed about one of my battles I had with Seiji when we were your size."

Isamu perked up and smiled at his older sister. "Hai that would be great. Even Akira likes to hear stories about how you beat up Seiji and Daisuke."

The two hanyou males jerked their heads around and said, "Hey!"

Emiko was there with her arms around them. "Don't worry brothers. You might actually win a fight one day and then you will be able to brag about it. Until then just suck it up."

Daisuke shrugged out from under her arm and glared at her as he stood and stretched. "We have won fights thank you very much!"

Emiko laughed. "Fights against ningens don't count brother."

"Why I otta…"

Koga turned and growled. "Enough. No fighting in the house. Kosha, get Seiji and Daisuke and get to your wing. Emiko follow me since you know Isamu won't let you out of the story. Yuriko, Mizuki. Bed."

Sora was standing in the door and smiled as she watched her mate act the part of a father. When she first came to live here with him as his mate, everyone, except for Ginta and Hakaku told her that he would make a horrible father. 'But he is wonderful. I could not have asked for a better mate or father for myself or my pups.

Koga shrugged past her and flopped his son down in bed and fixed him with his father's glare. Then did the same to Akira. He bent down and kissed them both. Turning to Emiko he kissed the side of her head and said, "A short story the off to bed with you too."

Emiko leaned into her father's embrace and nodded. "Hai otousan." She turned to the pups and sat down. "So let me see, want to hear the one about how Yuriko and I beat them up in front of the females they liked when we were little?"

Both Akira and Isamu jumped up and down on their beds shaking their heads yes.

"Okay, okay, settle down before you get us all in trouble by papa."

x

Koga walked around to check and make sure that all his pups were at least trying to go to sleep. Satisfied that they were all there he smelled the air. His mate was outside. Making his way to her he found her up in the tree that they spent most of their time in before Kosha and Mizuki were born.

In a single leap he was in the tree in front of her, not surprised when he did not spook her. "Koishii?"

Sora smiled and shook her head no. "Nothing is wrong. Everything is just perfect. I don't know how we could make anything better."

Koga slid in behind her and held her against him. "I know koishii. There is not a thing in the world that could make me happier than I am right now."

Sora smiled as she settled into his grip and sighed. "There is one thing that could make life better."

"Nani?"

Sora turned and looked into Koga's blue eyes. "A grandchild. And with Shippo mated, it won't be long you know.

Koga laughed as he looked up at the sky. "I still don't think that I am ready to be a grandfather yet. Was sort of hoping that Akira and Isamu would be older you know."

Sora laughed as she smacked him on his arm. "I am ready for another infant around the house. And not one that I have to have. I am done with pups."

"I know koishii. I just still have a hard time seeing Shippo as an adult that is mated. I can't get over it. When ever I think about Shippo I don't see him as he is now, I see the kit that came into camp asking me to stay with me all those years ago." Koga sighed as he looked up in the moon. It was a full moon. The night that he and Sora mated it was a full moon.

Sora nodded. "I know what you mean. it is hard to see him as an adult, and not as the kit that we took care of for so long."

Koga leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Come on koishii. We better get inside and in bed. I got this feeling that the pups, all eight of them are going to have us up before dawn wanting to finish the story."

Sora smiled and nodded. They both leapt down and held hands as they walked into the house. She wondered though, when she would be a grandmother?


	13. Chapter 13

Akira woke up with a yawn and a stretch. She was all smiles since her father and mother said that they would continue the story after they ate breakfast. Skittering out of bed she jumped up into her brothers bed with a smack on his head. "Up brother. We got to get everyone up so that mama and papa can keep telling the story."

Isamu sat up rubbing his head. "I know I know Akira you did not have to hit me." He knew about the story and was not in the bit worried about it. He knew all that had to be done was to have Akira, Yuriko, Emiko, or Mizuki give him the puppy eyes.

"I wonder how long it is going to be after they beat Ryuiji it is when mama and papa mate." Akira sat in the middle of her brother's bed while he stretched himself awake.

Isamu yawned. "According to Kosha it was another ten years before they actually mated."

"Nani?"

"Hai. By the end of this trip they took, neither one of them wanted to admit that they were destine to be mates and that their inner youkai's had chosen each other." Isamu walked over to where he kept his clean outfits. He wore a simple hakama and haori. Both of which were of a rich blue.

Akira chose to wear the clothing of her father. It was the exact image of her father's clothes except for the colors. Hers were a light blue and her fathers was brown.

"I hope they don't go through a lot of adventures they had on their own before they get to the part where they mate."

"You know there are going to be SOME parts that are going to be left out of the story."

"Nani?"

"Yeah. I heard Kosha and Ginta's oldest talking one day. When I asked them what they were talking about they told me that I would find out when I was older. It was things only mates do."

"I am sure that papa will tell us."

"I am not so sure."

Akira vaulted off the bed and grabbed his hand. "Come brother, we got older brothers and sisters to wake up. You get the boys and I will get the girls."

"Hai." One pup ran one way and the other ran the other way.

Koga woke up to the sudden movement in his home. He knew who it was. It was Isamu and Akira. They were already up no doubt going to wake up the others.

Rolling over on his side he gently shook Sora. "Koishii. Time to wake up. The pups are already up waking everyone else up at the same time."

Sora smiled as she sat up. "Hai. You go find something for breakfast before they trap us both in here. I will keep their minds off of it till you get back and we eat."

Koga stood up out of bed and dressed. "Hai. I think I will stop in and see Shippo while I am out. I can be back here in no time."

Sora smiled over at him. But it was not her usual smile. "Bragging again?"

Koga leapt over the bed and grabbed her in a vice grip. "Hai. But you know you love it."

Sora felt herself blush when he said that. Shaking her head she pushed him away. "Hai. But you better go. I hear feet."

Koga leaned in and stole a fierce quick kiss then leapt out the window and was gone before the pups were in the room.

Kosha and Mizuki were already at the window watching the dust trail. "Oh man he is gone." Mizuki sat down on the bed to pout.

Kosha started to leap out the window but stopped when there was a tug on his hair. "Mama!"

"I don't think so mister. He is doing something I told him to do and you are not going to go and bring him back like you are thinking that you are going to do."

"Hai mama."

Sora looked around. She loved the fact that her pups had the texture of Koga's hair. She inherited her mother's hair. It tangled like crazy and over any little thing. Koga's hair was always perfect! All eight of her pups, hanyou or youkai had his hair. "Alright! Everyone outside and in front and I don't want to have to go and find you Kosha, or Mizuki."

The two eldest pups ducked their heads and nodded. Then followed everyone outside. When their father got back they would eat then the story would continue.

x

Koga came to a sliding stop in front of the den where he smelled Shippo and Nozomi. "Yo!"

Shippo came running out when he heard Koga he stopped and grabbed him in a fierce hug. He had some news to tell him! "Koga, what are you doing out here?"

"Sora sent me to find something to eat. I told her I was going to stop by and see you for a…" Koga's words trailed off when he got a good sniff of Nozomi's scent. "Is she?"

Shippo swelled with pride. "Hai. It happened last night. But we did not have a kit running into the room because he thought something had happened to her."

Koga laughed so hard he fell down. "I remember that. We weren't in the best of positions to cover up what we were doing either."

"Iie you weren't. Come on in." Shippo lead Koga in the den. He had lamps let all through out it and inside as well so that they could see what they were doing. He saved the one by the bed for last.

Koga walked over to Nozomi and gently hugged her. "Congratulations. Though I must admit I was not expecting to be a grandfather so soon."

Nozomi smiled and returned the hug. "Hai. In about five weeks. A kitsune doesn't carry as long as a oukami does."

"Sora will be thrilled. We were just talking last night about how she missed having an infant around to spoil. And now she will. Oh man you guys won't be able to get rid of her." Koga flopped down next to the fire and smiled over at Shippo.

He was simply beaming with pride and it showed on his face completely. "You know, I think Kagome would have been proud of the way you turned out. I know that Sora and I are."

"You think she would be?"

"I know she would be. I know she always looked at you as her adopted kid even though after HIM it didn't show that much."

"Hai. But in a way mating with him made my life better. Not only do I have a father and a mother, but brothers and sisters, and now a child of my own that I won't have to watch die before my time. That is better." Shippo moved to where he was on the bed with Nozomi and had her snuggled up against him.

"Hai. I liked the way things worked out as well." Koga could never thank Kagome enough for turning him down all those times like she did. If it had not been for that, he would not have been able to mate with Sora and that would have devastated him.

He looked up at Shippo and said, "Do you want to tell her she is going to be a grandmother, or should I tell her?"

Nozomi was the one to speak up now. She looked up into Shippo's eyes and said, "Why don't we go back over for the day. That way she can find out and I can hear more of the story. It was quite entrancing."

Shippo laughed and he hugged her tight. "There is your answer. We are going back with you."

x

Akira was sitting on the roof of the house glaring in the direction that her father went. Everyone was waiting for him to eat and then finish the story. She wanted to hear the story!

Then she saw him. And he was not alone. She took a big breath through her nose and smiled. 'He went and got Shippo and Nozomi.' Then she stiffened. There was something different about the females scent. Leaping of the house she ran to her mother. "Mama! Papa is back and he has Shippo and Nozomi with him! There is something wrong with Nozomi's scent it is not the same as yesterday!"

Sora stood and took a big sniff then smiled as her youngest daughter slid to a stop next to her. She bent down and smiled into her eyes. "Akira there is nothing wrong with Nozomi. Well there is but nothing to be worried about. She is going to be having a baby."

All eyes turned to Shippo and Nozomi as they walked up to the group with Koga. Both males had a boar over their shoulder. Kosha walked up to Shippo and slapped him on the back. "Congratulations brother. Now mama won't be on me anymore about mating and having pups."

Sora made her way through the three girls that encircled Nozomi with there congrats and hugs. "That won't happen Kosha. Until I have at least one grandchild from all nine of my kids, I won't be happy."

When she reached Nozomi she hugged her and said, "I am so happy for you and Shippo. How long?"

"About five weeks."

"I will be at your den by four. You will need someone who knows what they are doing and Koga can keep Shippo at bay."

Akira jumped up and down yelling for her mother. Finally she shoved her way up between her mother and Nozomi. "Mama can papa tell more of the story while the food is cooking?"

Shippo reached in and pulled the pup out and said, "Hai. Come on, we can all get comfortable and we can tell you all about how your mother and father killed the bad youkai."


	14. Chapter 14

Shippo sat down and pulled his mate down next to him. He knew that he was still beaming. He was going to be a father! And his kit was going to be the only kitsune in the world who could say that their grandparents are two of the strongest oukami youkai ever.

Akira was perched next to him on the other side. She looked up at her father who was helping her mother get the food ready to cook. "Papa can you please start?"

Koga smiled at his pup. "You are really into this story eh pup?"

Akira let her head shake violently up and down. When everyone started laughing she glared at everyone except Shippo. "You all want to know the story just as bad as I do. Shippo was the only one who was there the whole time! Well up to where Kosha and Mizuki were born."

Shippo used his free arm to wrap around the young pup to lay his hand on her mouth. "I know this part. Let them cook and I will tell some of the story. When they are done then they can take over. Is that okay with you?"

Akira turned shinning eyes to the kitsune. "Hai. That is more than okay with me Shippo."

"Where did Koga leave off at?"

"He left off at the part where he told you to go to Ginta and Hakaku because that youkai had shown up."

Shippo thought for a second and then smiled. "Oh yeah. The youkai that he was after when I asked if I could stay with him. Okay well…"

x

Sora glared down at the youkai. Karasu had ordered him to do this stuff to the village that her dear mother was from. 'How dare he! Father will have him strung up by his backside for this!'

Koga leaned down and flexed his claws into the shoulder of the downed youkai. "Why does Karasu want us dead?"

Ryuiji knew that he was shaking in fear. His eyes the most. But he forced himself to look into Koga's eyes. "He said that she will bring the overall strength of the tribe down because she is a weak hanyou. He wants you dead because you are still stronger that him. And because of the hold that you still have on Ayame."

Koga's eyes went hard as stone as he glared at him. If he had won Kagome and had pups then, they would have been hanyou. And they most certainly would not have been weak. "I will show you what weak is you bastard! Karasu is mine. I will kill him myself, but as far as weak, we will see just who is weaker. The youkai with fear in his eyes and voice, or the hanyou with venom dripping from her fangs."

Ripping his claws out of his shoulder he smiled at the youkai's howl of pain. He looked at Sora and smiled. "This was the village your mother belonged too. You have more of a reason to want him dead then I do. Have fun."

Sora smiled a feral smile as she pulled her blade from his shoulder. "With pleasure."

Ryuiji glared at the hanyou. With Koga not in the fight, he knew he could win. How strong could a filthy hanyou be? "Come at me hanyou, if you think you can kill me!"

Sora charged. She knew what she had to do. Heart, lungs, brain, beheading. That way she would make sure three times over that he is dead.

Koga sat back and watched entranced as Sora played with the youkai. She was having fun fighting and was a far cry better than the damned youkai that she was fighting. She was enjoying seeing him in pain. 'And why not. He caused her a lot of pain the son of a bitch.'

He could not figure out why he had this need to defend everything about this hanyou female, when he was still in love with Kagome?

"MATE!"

Koga had to shake his head to clear it. It sounded like a voice in his head told him that Sora was his mate. 'I don't think so. I am just getting over one heartbreak. I am not about to go looking for a rebound.'

'You know you want her. Mate. Yours.'

'Oh just shut up!'

x

Akira interrupted again as she glared at Shippo. "You said Kagome wasn't in it anymore Shippo. Why are you talking about her?"

Shippo laughed and laid his hand on her head. "She is still talked about in the story for a while. But she won't come into play but one more time. Koga takes me to see her when her son is born. Then after that, she is only talked about. I promise."

Akira looked at Shippo with a glare. "Are you sure Shippo? I don't want to sound mean, I just don't like hearing that papa wanted someone before mama."

Shippo smiled his classic bright smile and hugged the pup to him. "I am sure Akira. You just have to trust me. But like it or not, she is going to be talked about off and on through the story."

"As long as she don't play a big part."

Koga was now sitting with his mate between his legs and leaning against him. "Hey pup. Come on now, you know since this started yesterday morning, you been interrupting the most of anyone."

Akira blushed and hid her face under her snow white hair. "Gomen."

Koga laughed. "Don't worry otome. I did the same thing when I was your age and heard a story as well. Just try to keep it down or this story will never be over!"

x

Sora now stood and wrinkled her nose at herself. She was covered in blood, none of it hers of course. Ryuiji now lay in a headless heap behind her. She looked over at Koga who she expected to be laughing at her, but saw something different. He was staring at her in a mix of amazement and something else that she didn't understand.

It was something that she had never seen before. It made her spine tingle, and her heart race. 'What is this?'

Koga stood and walked over to her. He looked at the youkai she killed and smiled his crooked little smile and said, "Well you did short work on that youkai. Maybe took out some pent up frustration on him?"

Sora snapped out of her trance when she heard him speak. 'What the hell was that about? The sooner I get home to my father and brothers the sooner I can forget about him. I did not like how that felt, almost like I was being drawn in by a mate!'

Growling at him she smiled. "Hai. I had a lot of pent up frustrations that I wanted to get out. He was the perfect opportunity to do it. Want to be next?"

Koga threw both his hands up and smiled. "No no, that is alright with me. I don't need to be next. We could have used someone like you who can fight in the fight against Naraku."

"Really?" Sora smiled at him. She sheathed her sword and then began to feel faint. She had not realized just how much energy she used by letting it all out at once. She started to fall then looked up in shock when she was in Koga's arms.

Having her so close, right in his arms, something in him snapped and he let his mouth fall on her mouth, pulling her tight against his body.

Sora's head was spinning. Part of her wanted to get a way, part of her wanted to get closer. She began to struggle, then gave up to the heat that was coursing through her.

Koga was trying to regain control of himself. His youkai snapped and wanted to claim her as his mate. He was not going to have it! He was not ready for a mate yet!

Her fighting was threatening to make his control slip! 'Kami please stop fighting!' When she did stop, it gave him that chance to jerk his mouth from hers. Panting he let her go and pushed her backwards as he fell back as well. He didn't even look up at her. He did not want to snap again. "I think it is best that you go back to the village and get cleaned up. I will send my regards to your father through Ginta. After what just happened I think it is best that he take you home. Not me."

Sora also did not look at him. She knew her face was beat red. "Hai. I think that would be a good idea also."

Koga nodded and got up and took off toward where Ginta, Hakaku and Shippo were waiting for him. He could smell Sora rushing off toward the village as well. 'What the hell is wrong with me?'

When he reached the trio he looked at Ginta and said, "I will explain later, but right now you need to go and escort Sora home. Tell Soshi that I would have come, but that I wanted to get home."

Ginta knew that look in Koga's eyes. Something happened between him and Sora and it did not sit good with him at all. "Right Koga." And he took off toward the village.

Shippo jumped from Hakaku's shoulder to Koga's. "What is going on Koga?"

Koga smiled at the kit and poked him on the nose. "Not now kit. I go into that and Kagome finds out and you will be right back in the situation that you were in before. She'll kill me!"

Shippo glared up at Koga. "I know what you are talking about now."

"Nani?!"

Shippo smiled. "I traveled with Miroku and Sango. I learned real quick what you are talking about Koga."

Koga started walking toward home. "Hai. I forgot about that monk. But still, being a youkai, you won't fully understand what I got to say until you are old enough to take a mate."

"Whatever you say Koga."


	15. Chapter 15

Koga lay on his back staring up into the sky. He had been home for eight months now and was still going insane! He could not get Sora off of his mind! She was there in his dreams, he would hear a female and jump around to see if it was her or not. He could even swear that he could see her face in the stars tonight.

"Koga?"

Koga turned and smiled at the kit. "Hai. Shippo. What's up?"

Shippo scrambled over to sit next to Koga and look up at the stars. He was happy living with Koga and the oukami youkai tribe. But he did want to go back and see how Kagome was doing and if she had the baby yet. He saw her once on the way home. He had heard that she would carry for nine months. It has been eight months since he left her, and she was one month then.

He looked over at Koga and asked, "Koga, do you think that we can go and see Kagome in the morning? She should be having the baby any day now and I want to see if she has."

Seeing Kagome again might just be the thing he needed to get over this fascination with Sora. He wrapped his arm around the kit and smiled. "Hai. We can go and see how she is doing in the morning."

Shippo smiled at Koga. He has learned over the last eight months that everything that Inuyasha thought about Koga was so wrong. He was not the heartless bastard that Inuyasha use to call him. He was nice, and fun, and cared about him. He did not act like he was a pest.

He knew that Inuyasha cared about him. Whenever he was in trouble, Inuyasha was right there to save him, but then treated him like he was useless afterwards. Koga has never done that. He is training him, and protects him completely. The first thing that he was taught, and still learning was how to find scents and tell who they are.

Shippo was ripped from his thoughts and jerked his head up to the sky. He knew that smell. So often they would go near where Kagome lived with Bankotsu and smell the different scents. He knew these scents! It was Sango and Kirara. he turned to Koga and said, "Koga, it is Sango. Sango is coming on Kirara."

Koga opened one eye and smiled. "That is good. I was wondering how long it would take you to get that one." He sat up and let Shippo jump up on his shoulder. It seemed right to have him there, and he could not picture himself without Shippo there now. He leapt off the house roof and landed on the ground just in front of where Sango landed with Kirara.

Koga smiled as the Shippo jumped from his shoulder to the female ningen. "What's up?"

Sango caught Shippo and gave him a fierce hug. She turned to Koga and said, "Kagome. She had the baby a few hours ago. She had a little boy. His name is Kai."

Shippo squealed and jumped over on Kirara. "Kagome is a mama now. That is cool. Koga and I were going to come and see her in the morning."

Sango turned and smiled at the kit child. "You were huh? We aint seen you for eight months. What has kept you away for so long Shippo?"

Shippo knew that tone. And he knew the look in her eyes. "Koga has been training me and we just get caught up in the training and loose track of time."

Sango wanted to know if Koga would let Shippo come and visit when he wanted to. He was proud and stubborn. If he did not want Shippo to come back to visit then he would say so and not think twice about being rude about it. "Shippo, do you want to come and stay a few days with us? I am sure that Kagome will enjoy spending some time with you."

Shippo smiled a big smile. He looked behind Sango at Koga and said, "Koga do you mind if I take a few days to..."

Koga held his hand up to stop him from talking. "Shippo, if you want to go and stay a few days that is fine, go and have fun. How long do you want to stay? I will come and get you and see Kagome and the pu.. uh baby, when I come to get you."

Shippo thought for a second. Then he popped off with, "I want to stay for three days."

"Hai. I will see you all then."

Shippo leapt and flew all the way to Koga and landed on his shoulder. He gave him a hug then went back to Kirara. Sango was in awe of that feat. He use to struggle to get to a shoulder, not do a ten foot leap like that. She swung herself on Kirara and they both waved at Koga as he took his place back on the roof of the house they shared.

Sango smiled down at Shippo and asked, "So do you really like living with him Shippo?"

"Hai! He is nothing like Inuyasha thinks he is. He takes care of me, and is training me. I can use my nose better than I use to, and I can use my Fox Fire better too."

"Really? You will have to show us what you can do now tomorrow."

"Oh I will! And it is all thanks to Koga!"

Sango smiled. They all had been worried like crazy about Shippo. It looks like they didn't have anything to worry about after all.

Koga smiled as the two tailed neko youkai flew off with Shippo. He would go and get him in three days. Even though he knew that he was going to feel like something is missing while he is gone. Shippo just seemed made to be by his side.

Then he saw it. The moon. It was a full moon. 'Wait it wasn't a full moon yesterday. The first night of the full moon is Sora's ningen night. I wonder what she is doing?'

x

Sora paced her room. It was her ningen night. She hated this time. Especially now. Koga. He was the reason. That damned kiss! She could feel herself bonding to him, but when he kissed her it was it. She was done. She knew that she was bonded to him and that sucked. He did not even bring her home!

'He went on home and probably has not given a second thought to me. Damn him!' She always hated it when she was ningen because her emotions would go over board. She knew what it was like not to be able to control a situation.

"Would you please stop that. He would not have kissed you if his youkai wasn't trying to claim you as his mate. He will be back for you."

Sora jerked her head up and found her older brother Sanosuke. "What makes you so sure. And besides, it is not like I am bonded to him or anything."

"Hai. You are and you know it."

"Oh just tojikomeru."

"Don't tell me to shut up. You are the one pacing and talking to yourself." Sanosuke flopped down on her bed and smiled at his younger sister. "Imoutosan, you are bonded to him and it is driving you crazy. He was fighting it, but so were you. Too damned stubborn for you own good. The both of you."

Sora growled at her brother. Even though she was ningen she still had a convincing growl. "Really, if we are both bonded to each other, then how come we could part?"

Sanosuke laughed. "You can part from your mate. But you can't be with anyone else. The bond won't let you."

Sora sighed as she flopped down next to her brother. "But I won't be able to mate for a few more years now. Why is it happening early with me?"

Sanosuke reached out and poked his sister. "Imoutosan, you are a hanyou. You are already old enough to mate, and your inner youkai has chosen that mate. Koga. It is only a matter of time before you both realize it and he comes for you."

Sora glared at her brother. 'Like he would want a hanyou for a mate. He is a powerful youkai and I am a weak hanyou. Ryuiji was even weaker than me. That was why I was able to win. I guess I better come to terms with it. I am done, I aint going to have a mate now. Damned bonds.'

Sanosuke left his sister to argue and mutter to herself. He was not about to try and argue with her. He did want to go and see his father. What his father had worked out with Koga and Sora had worked. But now she was miserable and he did not like that one bit.

He found his father sitting on the roof of the house. Glaring up at him he growled out, "Are you happy father? Sora is miserable and bonded to that youkai. If your plan to have them mate was what you were looking at, then you failed in that one and now I have to see the pain she is going through."

Soshi smiled at his son. "Only for ten years. Sora asked me if I would wait until the age of a youkai before I let her mate. She is bonded to someone that is not of this pack. She won't have any choice but to wait until he is ready to come for her. I will send for him in ten years. Then she will be the same age a youkai is when they can mate, and the bond would have been driving them both insane for so long, he won't leave without her."

"I see your logic father. But I can't stand seeing her this way."

"It hurts me too sochi. Demo, it is what is best for her."

Sanosuke looked at his father odd and asked, "Nani?"

Soshi had told no one of this. But now it was time. "Right after they left to find that youkai, I overheard Karasu and Ayame talking. She was telling him that he better not dare. When I listened more closely, he has every intention of trying to kill her. And Koga. Karasu has a way with your sister. You know that, if he was to get her off alone, or she take off when she thinks we are trying to smother her, she would be dead. Koga can hold his own, but even so I don't think that he can beat Karasu, unless he threatened Koga's mate."

"That way you know they will both be safe, right?"

"Hai. I already saw it once. When Karasu was bad mouthing Kagome, Koga was getting bad. But he snapped when he turned his insults on Sora."

"I hope your right father. I hope your right."

"I am."


	16. Chapter 16

Three days have passed and Koga stopped just outside of the village that was Kagome's. In the eight months that had passed since the last time he was here, there were more people there. He glared at a few of the men that came walking toward him with swords drawn. He stopped and crossed his arms. "I know the headman and his wife of this village. I am only here to pick up the kitsune that lives with me."

One of the men glared back at the youkai. The kit, and the neko were the only youkai he ever knew of that he could trust. "What makes me think that I can trust you youkai?"

Before Koga could say anything Miroku was there in front of them.

Miroku glared at the man that was talking. "Until you are headman of this village I suggest that you do not take it upon yourself who is and who is not aloud in this village. He does happen to know Bankotsu and Kagome. Shippo does live with him and it is time for him to go.

The man glared at the monk. He would have been village headman, if that spot was not taken by the leader of the infamous Band Of Seven. As he turned and lead his few men back into the village, "I think I can change that. I am going to see Bankotsu."

Miroku smiled. Bankotsu did not approve anything unless he had Kagome's seal of approval. And denying anyone she knew access to the village, was not going to be something she would approve of. He turned to Koga and waved. "Come on Koga. They are new here and most of them are still getting use to the fact that we have friends that are youkai."

Koga smiled as he fell into step with the monk. He was going to tell him about his behavior as well. "You know Miroku, you should watch how you act around Sango when Shippo is around. He has had a lot of questions over the last eight months about what you did and why. And it aint like I can tell him yet, he is still just a toddler you know."

Miroku looked over at Koga with a blushed face. "Oh, well I promise that I won't say or do anything when he is around, if you won't tell Sango. It hurts when she slaps me. Worse than any blow any male, youkai, ningen or hanyou ever laid on me."

Koga laughed at the monk. He remembered how hard Sora hit when she slapped him. Even in her ningen state. "Hai. It is a deal. If Shippo ever wants to come back here, when he gets home, if he asks anything, I will tell her."

Miroku sighed. "You have my word Koga. Now we need to find….." He was cut off by the voice of the one they were going to go and find. He turned in time to see Shippo jumping from Kirara's head and landing on Koga's shoulder perfectly.

Shippo was elated to see Koga. He wanted Koga to go and see Kagome's baby, then he could not wait to get home. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and even Bankotsu were all paying extra attention to him. Telling him that he had to come and visit one day soon again. When he tried to go and see Inuyasha, he did not get the welcome that he wanted to get.

Instead of a happy greeting he got told that he was a traitor and if it were up to him he would ban him from ever coming back to the village. That he could not believe that he would leave everyone to go and stay with Koga. That enraged Shippo but he didn't say anything, he just left and avoided him.

Looking at Koga he said, "Come on Koga, let's go tell Kagome bye and you can see the baby. Then I will be ready." He turned to Sango and Miroku and waved at them. "Arigato for coming to get me Sango. I had fun with you and Miroku while I was here."

Miroku smiled and nodded while Sango reached up and tussled his hair. "Anytime Shippo. Don't be a stranger you know."

Shippo smiled as Koga walked away. He still could not get what Inuyasha had said off his mind.

Koga could tell that something was bothering Shippo. He dead stopped in the middle of the village on his way to Kagome's house. Whispering he said, "Shippo. Who did what?"

Shippo jerked his head to Koga. "Nani?"

"You are miffed and upset about something. You weren't like that when you left to come here, who did it?"

"I did it you mangy wolf."

Koga turned to see Inuyasha glaring at him. Kikyo at his side. She was pretty for a ningen. She had long straight black hair, but her eyes were more chocolate than brown or black. Nothing to compared to Sora or Kagome. "What do you mean by that Inutrasha. What did you do to Shippo?"

Inuyasha glared. "He is a traitor. I would have rather him go to Sesshomaru than you. Just remember that if you eat him, Kagome won't be happy about it."

"You bastard!" Koga had his fist clenched. He looked at Shippo and saw the hurt in his eyes. "I should kill you for that."

Inuyasha laughed. "And make Kagome mad, but news flash oukami boy. Kagome is not the only one you would have to contend with. This is my mate Kikyo. You remember her don't you?"

Koga ignored him. He looked at Shippo and said, "What all did he say kit?"

Shippo sighed. "He said all the things that he use to about you."

Inuyasha glared. "They are all true. You turned your back and betrayed the only ones who could ever care about you for him. You are a traitor and he is just a bastard."

Shippo had finally had enough of this. He glared at Inuyasha. "You don't know what you are talking about Inuyasha! Koga is good to me and takes care of me! He has even been training me, something you never took the time to do. If you weren't trying to fight with me, you were complaining about having to save me. I never felt like you really cared about me!"

Koga smiled a thank you to the kit. He then pushed on past Inuyasha and his mate for Kagome's house.

Inuyasha glared. "You are both traitors."

Koga stopped and growled at him. If he wanted to run his mouth about him, that was fine. But a true bond had formed between him and Shippo, making Shippo nothing less than pack. And being the leader of that pack, it was his job to protect not only the lives of his pack, but their honor as well.

However before he could say or do anything, Shippo leapt landing in a puff of smoke. He transformed into Kaiba. A member of the pack that was helping Shippo train since he was part kitsune and could help.

Inuyasha stared in amazement.

Shippo walked over to Koga and drew his sword. In his same voice he said, "Come Inuyasha. You said that you could defeat me in your ningen form just the same as you could in your hanyou form. Try me."

Koga stood there and smiled. Shippo was about to show Inuyasha just what he was made of. "No killing."

"Hai Koga."

x

Sora reached up and covered her mates mouth. It was time to start eating, and then they could finish the story while she did some things around the house that needed done. She looked at the gasps and groans of her pups. "You all can hear about the fight between Shippo and Inuyasha in a few minutes. Eat."

Akira crossed her arms and growled. "Just when it was getting good too mama."

Even Kosha had to agree with his youngest sister as well. He had never heard this part. "Well look at it this way, the faster we eat Akira, the sooner we get back to the story."

Akira smiled and held her hand out for the food.

Shippo smiled at the silver haired pup. "Akira, don't worry, Nozomi and I are going to stay the day, and more and more of the story will get told. I promise."

Sora smiled as Koga began to hand out the food. "Hai Shippo. Course the story comes to a fast end when Kosha and Mizuki are born. After that, nothing really big happens. Just every day things."

Akira took a bite of her meat. "I don't care mama. I want to hear how you mated most of all. And that is in the story right?"

"Hai that is in the story otome." Sora patted her daughter on the head.

Nozomi smiled as she looked around. She knew that she was going to have to get use to living in a pack, but with this pack, she could do it. Most kitsune are solitary youkai until they find a mate. Then they mate, have kits, raise them, mate them off, and start over. An oukami youkai pack is different.

They interact with each other, and still have a life with each other even after one is mated and in Shippo's case with a child of their own. Either on the way or already here. 'I think that I could get use to this. To always have someone to lean on would be great. And Sora and the other's are the nicest ones I have ever me.'

Shippo saw the far off look in her eyes. "Koishii?"

"I am fine Shippo. Just thinking. I can't wait, five weeks and we will be parents."

Koga chimed in, "And their grandpa is going to help their father train them."

Nozomi and Shippo looked at Koga like he was crazy. "They?"

Koga smiled. "I guess a oukami's nose will always be better than a kitsune. You are having three."

Shippo and Nozomi looked at each other. "Three?"

Sora, the pups and Koga all burst out laughing. Sora reached over and patted Nozomi on the arm and said, "I will be there at three. We are going to have to make sure you got all that you need for three of them."

Nozomi smiled. "Arigato Sora. You are too kind."

Akira was suddenly in Nozomi's face. "Nozomi, since I will be their aunt, can I come and stay with you guys for a few days every now and then to see them?"

Shippo caught her and pulled her to the ground tickling her. "Pup you and everyone else here are welcome at our den anytime for any reason."

Sora smiled at the scene. "Koga I think we did a good job on all of them. Don't you think so?"

"Hai. Shippo, Kosha and Mizuki are great examples of how to act. They will all be fine koishii."

"I know. I know."


	17. Chapter 17

Settled in and finished eating Koga, Sora and all the pups were enjoying this time to sit and be with each other. Akira however was more than ready to hear the rest of the story. "Papa, can we please continue the story now? I wanna see what happens when Shippo fights with Inuyasha."

Shippo reached over and patted her head. "Don't worry pup we are going to get to it. Koga you wanna take this part on? After all you bragged about it for a long time after the fact."

"Sure kit. Well Akira, as I said before, Shippo transformed into Kaiba and faced off with Inuyasha..."

x

Kagome and Sango were sitting on Kagome's porch with the baby. Sango still could not get over the fact that the baby looked just exactly like his father. "He is absolutely beautiful Kagome. Oh by the way, Koga is here to get Shippo. They were heading here a little while ago. Have you seen them?"

Kagome smiled down at her son. "No I haven't seen them yet. Koga and Shippo won't leave without coming by."

Kagome and Sango both looked up when they heard Kikyo calling Kagome's name. Kagome handed Kai to Sango and met Kikyo at the bottom of the porch. It was when she acted like this that she was glad that this Kikyo didn't know that she was a Kikyo that acted totally different. "Kikyo what is it?"

"Shippo! He transformed into a oukami youkai and he is fighting Inuyahsa! You have to come make him stop! He is not hanyou anymore and can really be hurt." Kikyo was shaking and nervous. She did not want to see Inuyasha hurt.

Kagome glanced back at Sango, "Watch Kai. I will be right back. Come on Kikyo."

Kikyo fell into step next to Kagome. "Come we have to hurry!"

"Iie we don't. Shippo won't hurt Inuyasha. If you ask me this is a long time in the making."

"Nani?"

Kagome smiled at Kikyo. "Inuyasha has never been really nice to Shippo. Oh I know he cares about him, but he never showed it the way that he shows you he cares about you. He was always hard and mean to Shippo. It is about time that Shippo stand up for himself." She stopped on the sideline and watched as a transformed Shippo smiled as he showed Inuyasha how much he had grown.

"What did Inuyasha say to him to set him off. Shippo would not have done this just because he felt like it."

Kikyo remembered the promise that she made to Inuyasha. That she would not tell Kagome the mean things he said to Shippo. "Nothing. We were on our way to come and see you and the baby and he just started a fight."

"Liar."

Both girls turned toward Koga who was instantly there. Kagome looked up at him and said, "What are you talking about Koga?"

Koga glared at the onna next to Kagome. "Inuyasha was mouthing off about me again. He told Shippo that he would have rather Shippo left to travel with Sesshomaru than me. Called him a traitor."

Kagome gasped and glared at Inuyasha. Then to Kikyo. "Did you know about this?" When the girl turned her head and looked down Kagome growled. Something that she picked up from Inuyasha. "I will deal with you later. Shippo! Inuyasha!"

Shippo knew that the second that he would stop defending from Inuyasha's weakened attacks that he would attack. He stopped him and sent him back then in a flash was on Koga's shoulder.

Inuyasha glared at the oukami and kitsune. Then he saw Kagome. "See what your oukami boy is doing to Shippo. He just attacked me for no reason."

"Really, and bad mouthing the one who has taken care of him for eight months had nothing to do with it huh? Or calling him a traitor?"

Inuyasha did the same thing that Kikyo did. Kagome could not believe it. "I should let Bankotsu deal with the both of you!"

Both Kikyo and Inuyasha both shook their heads no. Inuyasha spoke first. "Gomen nasai Kagome. But that is how I feel."

Shippo couldn't help it. "You feel like I betrayed you, how do you think I felt. Kagome could have purified the jewel by making Kikyo hanyou. You chose to be ningen. What was I suppose to do Inuyasha? I would have watched you, Kikyo, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Bankotsu die. And kids for three more generations come and go before I grew an inch. You are the one who disserted me!"

"Whatever. Come on Kikyo." Then he stomped off, Kikyo following behind him.

Kagome sighed. She turned to Shippo and said, "Gomen Shippo."

"It was not your fault he is a baka Kagome." Shippo jumped from Koga to Kagome and hugged her. "Can we take Koga to see your baby now?"

Kagome smiled and carried him away, Koga at her side as she headed to the house she shared with Bankotsu. "Hai."

x

Sango sighed when she saw Kagome coming back with Shippo and Koga. She met them at the bottom of the porch and handed Kai to his mother. She smiled when Shippo went to Koga. They seemed right for each other. "What was going on with you and Inuyasha Shippo?"

Koga was not about to let this go on. "Shippo finally showed Inuyasha that he isn't going to take his crap anymore. That simple."

Sango looked from oukami to kitsune in wonder. How could Shippo have showed Inuyasha anything?

Kagome smiled as she looked up from her son. "Don't worry Sango I will fill you in later ok. Koga I would like you to meet my son. Kai." Then she turned and held up her new born son to let Koga see him.

Koga peered down at the infant. He smelled of his mother and his father. But he had a kind soul shinning back in his eyes. For some reason he did not seem to be jealous at the moment. "He is adorable Kagome. With a mother like you I am sure that he will grow into a good man."

Kagome welled with pride. "Arigato Koga." She looked up and smiled as her husband came toward them.

Bankotsu stopped next to his wife and son. "Koga. Ogenki desu ka? I take it you came for Shippo."

"Hai. Demo, Shippo we do got to go. Ginta and Hakaku are scared to death of Bankotsu and refused to come into the village. You know how they can get."

Shippo laughed. "Hai they can be more scared than me sometimes. Bye Kagome! Bye Sango, Miroku, Bankotsu. And see you later Kai." Then they were off. Shippo caught a glimpse of Inuyasha glaring at him as they left the village. 'I wonder how long he will hold a grudge?'

"Don't worry about him Shippo. He is acting like a bastard and will get his in the end. Something bad will happen to him and make him feel like crap." It infuriated Koga to know that Shippo had went through that while he was away from him. In many ways Shippo has become the son that he thought he would never have.

Shippo smiled as he looked at Koga. "I know Koga. But I sure am glad to be going home."

"Me too kit. Me too."

x

Akira was looking a little annoyed. "Now do you promise that this is the last time that Kagome is in the story?"

Shippo smiled. "Hai pup. But she is talked about from time to time. After all, Kagome was a big part of my life for about a year."

Akira thought about it for a second. "I can deal with that as long as he doesn't compare her to mama anymore."

Koga laughed as his hold on his mate tightened. "We should have another set."

Sora growled low in her chest. Shippo was about to be a father of three kits, and she was done with pups. "I don't think so Koga. I am done with pups. Now it is my turn to spoil them then send them home with Shippo."

Koga smiled as he watched his youngest with his eldest. In the way of looks and powers, Shippo was all kitsune. But he was pack. So was Nozomi. "Well Akira, do you want me to finish the story?"

Akira jerked her head around and glared at her father. "That is a stupid question papa. You know I have been waiting my whole life for this!"

"I know I know. I just thought that I would ask. You seemed content talking to Shippo."

Kosha was back up in his tree. He looked down to his pack and smiled. "Well father I would not leave her waiting for too long. You know how she don't like to wait."

Shippo smiled. "She must be like her mother on that one."

Sora glared. "What do you mean by that kit?"

Shippo smiled his best innocent smile as he looked at his adopted mother. "Nothing. Just that whenever it came to waiting when you first mated with Koga, you could not stand waiting for anything."

Sora smiled. "I know. I almost forgot about that."

Akira glared at everyone. "Father!"

"Okay, okay. On with the story."


	18. Chapter 18

Ten years have passed and Shippo was growing stronger and stronger as the days went buy. But Koga's obsessive thoughts of Sora were increasing as well. He had thought of going and seeing her but decided against it. He needed a better reason than to just go and see her!

Shippo sat with Ginta and Hakaku and stared at Koga sitting on the roof of their house getting frustrated. "I bet he is talking to himself about Sora again."

Ginta nodded. He did that too much anymore. "I think he should just go and see her. Then he would know if he wanted to mate with her, or if it is because she reminds him of a daughter that he could have had with Kagome."

Hakaku nodded. "I agree. But I aint gonna tell him. You are nutty!"

Shippo glared at them. He was still just a kid, but he was not as scared of it as they seem to be. "Kami you two are pathetic." Then he leapt up on the roof and went to Koga. "Koga?"

Koga turned and smiled at the kit. "Hai?"

"Can we go see Sora?"

Koga stared for a second. "Nani? What are you talking kit?"

Shippo had an idea on how to get him back to see her. If he could work it. "I want to go and see Sora. You know she may not have liked me at first, but while we were getting things ready to fight the Ryuiji, I think she started to like me. Douzo Koga can we go see her?"

Koga looked at the kit. He really did seem to want to go and see her. And it would give him a chance to go and see if he was mated or not. He was acting like he was, but saying he wasn't. Before he could tell Shippo that they could go and see her he smiled. Takahashi was coming!

He stood and looked in the direction that he was coming from. When Shippo took his place on Koga's right shoulder he smiled. "I think you are going to get your way. Smell that? It is Takahashi. He came and got me ten years ago when Sora's father wanted me to help her track down Ryuiji."

Shippo smiled as he watched the speck that was Takahashi come closer. Just before he approached the house he and Koga jumped down with Ginta and Hakaku behind him as usual.

Takahashi stopped and nodded to them all. "I see you picked someone up Koga. This must be Shippo."

Koga blinked in shock for a second. "How do you know who Shippo is?"

Takahashi smiled. "Sora. She was complaining to her father at first about you letting the kit come and join you. But then had nothing but great things to say about him when he helped to take down Ryuiji."

Shippo smiled. "See Koga I told you that she liked me in the end."

Koga smiled. "Hai you did at that Shippo. Takahashi what brings you here?"

"Sanosuke mated a few years back and his mate has birthed him a son. Soshi and Sanosuke wish for you to come so you may see the future leader of the pack." Takahashi smiled. 'It will be interesting to see cousins running the two strongest packs of oukami youkai's.

Koga smiled. This was just the break that he needed to go and prove that Sora was nothing more than someone who reminded him on how strong a child born of him and Kagome would have been. He was not mated, and was in no hurry to mate, he hoped that was not what he finds when he shows up.

"Lead the way Takahashi."

x

Sora sat on the bed with her brother's mate Hotaru and their new born son Oniji. He was simply adorable, the spitting image of his father. "He is beautiful Hotaru. Simply adorable!"

Hotaru was told by Sanosuke about the deal with Sora and Koga. Sora was showing all the signs of being mated, but without her mate there. "And one day soon maybe he will have a cousin to play with?"

Sora shook her head. "Iie. I have no intention of mating. Although otousan and Sanosuke seem to think I am already."

"You show all the signs of being mated."

"But I am not." Sora knew that her face was glowing red by now. She knew that her body was telling her that she was mated. But she could not go and see him. She knew that if she ever saw him again then that would be it and she would be done for! 'Just so long as he does not come here either. Oh no!' Sora jerked her head up and looked out the window. She smelled him. In all her life she would never forget that scent.

"Koga was sent for by your brother and father to come see Oniji." Hotaru smiled when the blush deepened. "You know I bet if you stop fighting it, then it will not seem so bad to be mated. Especially not to Koga. Your ningen side has already fell in love with him."

"How could you tell?"

"I heard you on your ningen night last week in your room crying. You were talking out loud to yourself about it. Admitting that you loved him and cursing your father for putting you in this position."

"It is all his fault. If he would have let me go on my own, or take someone who was mated already from our pack, then this would not be going on." Sora rung her hands. Her instincts were telling her to run to him. But she had to fight it. She just had too.

Hotaru smiled and shook her head as she looked down at her son. 'She will see soon enough. Ten years apart, after the bond set in, they won't be able to stay away from each other.'

x

Soshi and his son were sitting on top of the house when the caught wind of Koga, Ginta, Hakaku, Takahashi and kitsune. Sanosuke smiled. "Looks like Sora was right and we were wrong after all father. Shippo is with Koga."

"I know. She won the bet, now we can't force her to see him!" Soshi was growling now. Even if Koga had kept the kitsune around, couldn't he have left him at home!

"Don't worry father if the bond has been as bad on Koga as it has on Sora, then they will find themselves seeking the other out. Ten years without the one I was bonded too, I would."

"I hope that you are right sochi. I hope that you are right." Then he leapt down and met Koga as he came to a sliding stop in front of him. The kit hanging off his shoulder. "It is good to see you again Koga. And this must be Shippo. I have heard a lot about you kit."

Koga smiled and looked at Shippo. "Yeah we had something in common and that brought us together. I don't think I could see myself without him now."

Sanosuke was a proud father. His son was him made over and it was time that he got to show him off to someone worthy of seeing him. "Come with me. I want to show you my son. Oniji."

Koga and Shippo followed Sanosuke in the room. The smell of Sora was thicker the closer they got to where Sanosuke and his mate stayed. Across the hall. In her room. She was anxious. 'Is it about me? Has she been going insane just like I have thinking about me?'

Instead of bursting through the door to see what happened he followed Sanosuke into his room. He smiled and nodded a hello to the female youkai on the bed.

Sanosuke picked up his son from his mother and smiled. "Koga first of all I want to introduce you to my mate. This is Hotaru. And this is my son, Oniji." Then he walked over so that Koga and Shippo could see the baby. "Here." 'He needs to learn.'

Koga felt like he was a small pup holding a vase that was ten times larger than him, trying to be so careful not to let it break. He peered down at the tiny thing in his arms. "Cute pup. Looks like his father."

Sanosuke took his son and smiled. "Arigato." Then handed the pup back to his mate.

Shippo knew that Koga was trying to fight going to Sora. He could feel the slight tremble that was coursing through him. 'I got to get him to go with see her!'

Soshi was at the door and said, "Koga, can I speak to you without the kit for a moment douzo?"

Shippo leapt off Koga's shoulder and landed on the floor. "I will be fine Koga. I will talk to Sanosuke while you are gone."

"Hai." Then Koga followed Soshi out of the room and past Sora's. He stopped and stared. He wanted to go in. He felt he had to go in. What was going on with him!? Why was he feeling like this, perhaps his body has thought it mated for the past ten years.

Instinct was starting to take over, he felt like he no longer had any control over his body. He reached out and pushed the door open. There she was. Standing there. Starring back at him.

Sora could only stare. She had never imagined that she would ever see him again, and now that she was starring at him, she couldn't move. She imagined herself running from him whenever she saw him. She did not want to know what was going to happen. But she was frozen.

As he crossed over to her she could only stare into his eyes. "Koga."

"Sora."

x

Isamu was the one who broke off the story this time. Much to the displeasure of Akira who was loudly growling at him now. "Mama you said that papa got him for comparing you to Kagome. Are you almost to that part yet? I don't really like the mushy stuff like the girls."

Akira growled louder. "Well I for one have been waiting two days for this part and now you got to go and ruin it. Arigato brother. Shut up."

Sora glared at her youngest daughter. "Akira. You know better than that young lady. We do not talk to each other like that."

Akira bowed her head and stopped her growling. "Gomen nasai okaasan."

Then Sora turned her glare on Isamu. "We agree that we are mated, then a fight with someone, then ojiisan gets him. You got to get through this to hear the rest."

Shippo was trying not to laugh. But he busted up laughing, followed closely by Kosha. "Oh pups! I know that look. I would just behave the way you know she wants you too from now on."

Both pups looked from Kosha to Shippo and back to Kosha. "Anchan?"

Kosha smiled at his younger siblings. "Shippo and I use to get those looks all the time from mama whenever we would gang up on Mizuki or play pranks on other pups from the pack."

Shippo nodded. "And whenever we would get that look, if we did not mind, then we were in for it later."

Koga shared in the smiles. "Hai. And you pups weren't the only ones who got that glare in the beginning. But that is another story. Who is ready for this story? It is almost over by the way."

Akira perked up. "I am otousan. Douzo."

Isamu shrugged. "If we get through this then I can hear what grandpa did to you when he found out about you comparing mama to someone else. I am ready."

Koga shook his head. "Tame. Now where were we, oh yes, I was crossing the room to your mother. She said my name and I said her name. Then…"


	19. Chapter 19

Koga stopped when he was right in front of her. He looked down into her green eyes and melted. Again, rational thought went out the window as he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her against him as he mouth closed over her mouth.

Sora felt the same electric feeling when he kissed her now as she did ten years ago! Melting into his arms she growled as she snaked her arms around his neck.

Soshi smiled in at the two and closed the door. He turned to his son who was standing in his door with the it shut. "I told you."

"I know. It was all I could do to keep the kit in my room when Koga went into Sora's." He had no sooner finished saying the words when he heard the kit begin to laugh hysterically. He opened his door and looked at him with an arched eyebrow. "Nani?"

Shippo fought to get himself under control. "Gomen. I keep forgetting that you don't know who I use to travel with. Not only was there Kagome and Inuyasha, but also a monk named Miroku. He was always flirting with women and touching them. And always getting slapped for it."

Sanosuke shook his head as he sat down next to his mate and took his son. "I don't even want to know about that."

x

Koga struggled with himself not to let this go beyond a kiss. It was clear that his youkai wanted her. It was clear that he was mated. It was also clear that she had bonded to him as well.

Summoning all the strength that he could he pushed her on her bed and stumbled back to the wall. "Well that proves that."

Sora sat up slowly. She didn't even look up at him. "Hai. So what do we do now?"

Koga flopped down on the floor and crossed his legs. "Well, it is obvious that our youkai's chose this. Can't really do anything about it. Demo,"

Sora slowly looked up at him. Her heart racing. But, but what? "Demo?"

Koga smiled at her, "It is not like someone has to force me. And I can't say that the thought doesn't please me."

"Nani?"

Koga stood up and sat on the bed next to her. "The past ten years Sora, I have not been able to get you off my mind. It has been so bad, that before Takahashi got there to invite me to see your nephew, Shippo was trying to get me to come."

"He was?"

"Hai. He said that he wanted to see how you were doing. Little scamp." Koga could see him now laughing. So many nights he had argued with the kit telling him that he was not bonded. He was not acting like he was lost without his mate at his side. 'An argument that I have to admit I lost. In such a big way.'

Sora smiled. "Well then I guess we are mated now."

"In words yes. You are part oukami youkai. You know they won't believe it until they smell it."

Sora began to blush incredibly. She had not thought about that part! 'Kami what do I do now? We can't here, they whole tribe will know what is going on!' She jerked her head up when Koga grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to a standing position.

"Come with me." He went to the door and slid it open. He poked his head in Sanosuke's room and found Hotaru sitting on the bed with Shippo as he played with the pup. "Shippo. Stay here, I will be back." Then he was gone. Shippo knew not to question him.

Sora followed him to the opposite end of the house where she smelled her brother and father. "Koga where are we going?"

"Somewhere, where we can talk, work things out and see where it goes. Without the whole area knowing what is going on." Poking his head out he smiled as they leapt out the window and made for the trees. He knew a spot. "You ever been to the waterfall?"

Sora looked at him in shock. "Waterfall?"

Koga smiled. That answered his question. "Then lets go see it."

x

Shippo did not even have to look up to nod to Koga. He knew what he was doing. He was taking Sora somewhere private for a while. "Well it looks like Sora is coming home with us."

Hotaru smelled the air. Koga was sure enough leaving with Sora. "But if they are leaving then why aren't you leaving with them?"

"He isn't going home yet. That is why he told me to wait here. He will come back for me." Shippo did another appearing trick for the pup who began laughing again. "He sure is a cute pup!"

x

Karasu ran as hard and as fast as he could toward Koga's den. He was going to kill that bastard! He killed Ryuiji and mocked him in the process. He sent word to one of the members of the pack that Ayame was in charge of to talk to her instead of going to her.

He probably knew that if he tried to send word to her directly that it would be a failed attempt. He would have struck them dead before they reached the den. But he was tricky about it!

He went through a friend of Ayame's! And that ruined any chance he had of having a position of power! "Now Koga. Now it is time for you to die!"

He stopped on a bluff that over looked the house that he knew he lived in. But he was not there. Nor was the kit. Looking around he found the one that he seen training the kit. He leapt down and landed in front of him. "Where is Koga?"

Kaiba stopped and growled. "Why do you want to know Karasu?"

"Don't question me! You are beneath me!"

Kaiba heard the accounts of the fight he had with Koga ten years before. Koga was trained by him. All he had to do was imagine that he was threatening his mate and then he would die. Simple. 'But Koga would want this kill.' "He went to Soshi's."

Karasu just turned and headed for Soshi's. It was his news to Ayame that caused her to send him away. Because she was a daughter of the elder! "Koga is mine! I will kill him!"

x

Sora stopped and stared at the waterfall. She grew up here, eighty years and she never knew that this was here! "Koga it is beautiful! How did you know that it was here?"

Koga stared at the waterfall. "Well, not to rehash anything that might cause a rift between us, but, when I was after Naraku, following Kagome, we passed by here one time and that was when I found it." He heard her growl at Kagome's name. "I know, I know, that is why I said I didn't want to cause a rift. I can say that I never brought her here though. You are the first for that one."

Sora sighed. "Sorry. I did not mean to growl like that. Just honnou. Oh man that sounded really bad, I mean," But she was cut off when he pressed a tender kiss to her lips.

"Don't worry about it. I am sure that my time to let my jealousy and honnou kick in will come." When he saw and felt the sadness that swept through her he froze. "Nani?"

"It is just that, well I am hanyou. What youkai would want a hanyou?"

"I do."

"You are foolish." Sora suddenly found herself starring into Koga's eyes.

Koga did not want to ever hear her say that again. "Before I was bonded to you, before my youkai claimed you, I admired you Sora. If Kagome had told me yes, then I would have had hanyou pups. Why would I discriminate?"

Tears were falling now. "Because as far as it goes, technically you are a taiyoukai. The leader of a pack. I am nothing more than a mutt."

Now it was Koga's turn to growl at her. "Don't even talk like that. Mutt, youkai, ningen, I can't see anyone else at my side other than you."

"Or Kagome."

Koga smiled. "Iie. I tried and tried to figure out why I could not win her over. Now I know why. Fate had someone else in store for me."

Sora starred up into his eyes, totally entranced by them. There was something different about them, they no longer held the soul of a heartbroken male. But she saw a burning desire. And it was for her!

"Had she not said no to me, I would not have met you. I would not have bonded to you, and we would not have had the chance to become mates. Telling me no, for that I owe her everything. It was her refusal to have me, that led me to the one I was meant to be with."

He slowly lowered his head to hers and kissed her softly. Moving his arms down around her waist and pulling her against him. Lifting his head, "What do I have to do to convince you that I wouldn't have my life turn out any other way?"

Sora was breathing hard now. She smiled as she reached up and twined her arms around his neck. "Kissing me like that again will be a pretty good start."

Koga answered her request and kissed her gently again. When she ran her tongue across his lips he took that as an invitation and plunged his tongue down in her mouth.

As they lowered to the ground Koga said a silent prayer to Kagome. For had she never turned him down, he would not have found Sora. And he was never going to be without her again!


	20. Chapter 20

Shippo was still in the bedroom with Hotaru and Oniji. When he smelled Koga and Sora coming back he looked out the window odd. "Why does she smell different."

Hotaru smiled. Sora was going to be leaving with Koga. They are officially mated. "Shippo, you know Sanosuke's scent right?"

"Hai."

"And you smell his scent mingled with mine right?"

"Hai. Because you are mates."

"So are Koga and Sora."

Shippo smiled a big smile. He leapt off the bed and landed on the window seal. His training in balance paying off. "Alright! Now Koga won't be a mope anymore."

Sanosuke came in the room. "Well father's planned worked after all."

Shippo turned and looked at him odd. "Plan?"

Since they were mated, and bonded, there was no reason to keep it secret anymore. "Hai kit. My father sent Koga with my sister to start the bond in hopes of them mating."

Shippo thought for a second. Then he smiled. "So that explains a lot about how she was acting when they stopped to see Kagome."

Sanosuke looked at his mate with an arched eyebrow then back to the kit. "What re you talking about?"

Shippo looked at him like he was crazy! "She didn't tell you?"

Soshi had been standing behind the door. Opening the door he glared down at the kit. "What exactly does it explain?"

Shippo smiled. "Well let me tell you. A funny story really."

x

Koga held Sora's hand as they approached the house. He noticed the looks of approval that they were getting. "I don't think your pack minds me being your mate."

Sora smiled. "No it would seem not. I wonder what father is going to say?"

"I don't know, but I know I am going to get an 'I told you so' from Shippo."

"Not if your dead first!"

Koga and Sora spun around, each going for their swords. It was Karasu! Koga growled. "I had hoped that I would get to see you again."

Karasu glared at the two. They were mated. "It is a shame that you mated and bonded with this youkai you filthy hanyou. He won't live much longer."

Koga was going to let his youkai snap this time. "Shut your mouth you bastard!"

Karasu turned his eyes on Koga. "You think you can beat me? When we fought last time, I was just being an idiot. Now I have rage on my side. You mocked me! You got Ayame to turn away from me! Taking away my position of power! Your life is mine to take! And then I will take yours Sora."

Karasu cursed himself for taking his eyes off of Koga. He now found himself flying through the air. 'I will be a oukami when I land and then he will die!'

Koga turned for half a second and said, "Stay close to Shippo. Douzo." Then he ran off to go kill Karasu.

Sora could feel the rage rolling off her mate. She knew that if she was to get in the way, transformed or not, she would only hinder him, not help him. 'I will stay with Shippo. Just be careful Koga.' Then she ran in the house.

She was no sooner through the door when she ran into her father's chest. "Papa."

"Who is fighting Sora?"

Sora looked him in they eye. "Koga. We were coming back to tell you that I was going with him when he left. But then Karasu showed up. They are fighting in the field that you trained me in. I don't know about Karasu, but Koga is transformed already."

Soshi and Sanosuke nodded their heads. Sanosuke grabbed her hand and then scooped the kit up and pulled them into his room. "Stay in here with Hotaru. Sora, I know you can protect them. I am going with father." then he was gone.

Hotaru looked up at Sora and questioned her with her eyes.

"Koga and Karasu are fighting. Karasu wants to kill Koga!"

Shippo was in the window looking toward the field he smelled Koga at. "What else happened? I can smell the rage coming from Koga. I only smelled this one other time when he was fighting Naraku."

Sora starred out the window. Then she realized it. It was different somehow. Rage and the need to protect rolling off of him. "Oh Koga."

x

Soshi and Sanosuke stopped at the clearing and starred. They dared not get closer. The battle that was going on in front of them was like nothing they ever saw!

Koga and Karasu were rolling on the ground, biting, scratching, hitting. Sanosuke looked at his father, "What do we do? They just mated officially, what do we do now if Koga dies?"

Soshi knew that his son would not be in his right mind. He knew that his thoughts were centered around keeping this battle as far away from Hotaru and Oniji as he could.

"Don't worry about that sochi. This is not just a revenge fight. He must have insulted Sora. Think about it, how would you react if someone insulted Hotaru."

"I'd kill them."

"Exactly."

Koga grappled with Karasu. Trying to get in the kill bite. When he called Sora a filthy hanyou, that is what caused the snap in his mind. He was not about to let this baka get away with insulting her! It made it even more personal since she was his mate.

When they finally parted he snarled at Karasu. "You insulted the wrong one when you insulted her!"

"I'll kill her too when I am done with you!"

Koga poised himself to leap. When Karasu charged him he leapt into the air. Coming down on his back. Then it started over again. They were rolling, biting, scratching. Each trying to get the death hold on the other.

x

Shippo turned and looked at Sora. "What did he say about you?"

"He called me a filthy hanyou."

Shippo's eyes went wide. He was touchy when someone said something about her being a hanyou in his own pack. And they never went that far because most of them liked Kagome and hoped for Koga to mate with her. "No wonder. Karasu is as good as dead."

Sora couldn't stand it anymore. She leapt out the same window that her brother did. She had to go and make sure that he was alright!

Shippo starred after the female as she made her way toward the battle. It didn't dawn on him until just now. He had a family. A real family. Koga was already a father figure to him. He was Shippo's adopted father. And now that would make Sora his adopted mother. "Huh."

Hotaru could feel the clashes of power. So could her infant son. She rocked him and cooed at him. But it was Shippo that made him smile again. His kitsune tricks seemed to work the best at calming him down. "Arigato Shippo."

"No problem. Koga will be alright."

x

Sora's mind was racing. All she knew was that she had to reach Koga. She had to see for herself that he was going to be alright. 'Damn that Karasu! I hope that Koga does kill that bastard.'

She dead stop behind her brother and father. She starred at the battle in front of her. Yelling, screaming, biting, growling. "Oh Koga."

Soshi turned and found his daughter standing there watching. 'Her bond must be strong to move her to come.' "He will be fine otome."

"Are you sure papa?"

"Hai. Don't worry yourself."

Sora stood with her father and brother as the fight intensified.

Karasu saw her. "You know what, perhaps I won't kill her after all. She is hanyou, youkai blood is in her veins. She could birth a youkai. Perhaps I could use her for that?"

Koga leapt up in the air, as did Karasu. "Die bastard!"

The collided in the air, each going for the throat as the landed on the ground, making a huge crater and dust and smoke going everywhere.

Sora starred. "Koga." She couldn't see anything. As the dust began to clear she gasped. They were both still in oukami form, and both were perfectly still. When the dust cleared, neither moved. Sora felt the tears run down her face. "Koga!" Then she raced down toward the two still bodies.


	21. Chapter 21

Soshi and Sanosuke stared at the scene that they beheld. It looked like they had killed each other! Sora's scream as she raced toward them made them think the worse. Koga had died in battle, along with Karasu.

Soshi closed his eyes and started to walk away.

Sanosuke gasped and grabbed him. "He is alive. Only Karasu is dead. Look."

Soshi turned and smiled. Koga was transforming back and was in his ningen form in time to catch Sora as she lunged in his arms. "You know she is leaving right?"

Sanosuke smiled. "I know. After this, I know I don't have to worry about her anymore. She is in good hands with him."

x

Sora clung to him. "Oh Koga I am so glad that you are alright!"

"Did you think I would lose?"

Sora looked up into those heavenly blue eyes. "I didn't know what to think. I can feel what you feel remember? I had never felt so much rage in my life. What made you feel that way?"

"His mistake was when he insulted you koishii."

Sora smiled. "Arigato." Then she leaned up and kissed him.

When they separated Koga picked her up and headed back to the house. "I don't know if this will bother you, but I would really rather go ahead and head home."

Sora settled down and rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't mind. And I don't think that father or anyone else will either."

When they reached the house he sat her down on her feet and turned to look at his right shoulder just as Shippo took his place. "Hey kit. Ready to leave?"

"You are not leaving just yet!"

Sora smiled as Shigure came up to her with a big hug. "Brother did you really think that I would leave without saying goodbye to you?"

Shigure smiled. "I know you wouldn't. congratulations."

"Arigato." Then she looked at Koga. "I am going to go in and get a few things and tell Hotaru and Oniji bye. Shippo wanna come?"

Shippo beamed. Part of him thought that he was going to get left out again. But when she asked him to come, he was elated! "Hai." Then he took his place on her right shoulder as they entered the house.

Soshi smiled to his daughter then fixed Koga with a glare. "I know from that display that you will protect Sora with your life. However I have a bone to pick with you."

Koga turned and gawked. "With me? What are you talking about?"

"You compared my little girl to a ningen miko?"

Koga was so shocked that he fell back on his behind. "It isn't like that Soshi?"

"Then tell me how it was? Cause when you talk about how one is better than the other, that is comparing."

"Well I did at first, demo,"

"You did compare her to a ordinary ningen! I should kill you!"

Koga was scooting away on his behind like a pup that was being scolded. He had to think of a way out of this! Fast! "I was trying to fight the bond that I felt with your daughter! That was all I swear!"

"Pre-pair yourself Koga."

"Soshi, come on now."

"You ready?"

Koga was not going to fight his mate's father. He closed his eyes and waited to see what he was going to get. Instead everyone started to bust up laughing. He looked up with an arched eyebrow. "Did I miss something?"

Soshi reached down and pulled the oukami up off the ground. "It was nothing more than a little joke Koga. Welcome to the pack."

"Where did you find out about that anyhow?"

Sanosuke and Soshi looked at each other with a smile. "The kitsune."

Koga smiled as he thought of the ways to get Shippo back for this. 'I wonder what I could do?'

x

The glare that Koga had Shippo fixed with made the kitsune burst out in a fit of laughter. "Koga you kinda asked for it you know."

"How do you figure?"

Shippo gawked at him. "You don't remember that female kitsune that said she was my mother?"

Koga smiled. "Oh yeah. She was convinced wasn't she?"

"Hai."

Kosha was trying to hold in his laugh. Finally he had enough. Not only did his grandfather embarrass Koga, but he remembered that story with Shippo. He started laughing so hard he fell out of the tree. Again.

"Kosha."

"I am sorry dad. But I could just see you backing up on the ground as grandpa threatened you." He sat up as he wiped the tears away. "Oh I wish I could have seen it!"

"Yeah, yeah, pick on Shippo now." Koga was now looking up at the sky.

Kosha looked at Shippo. "I know that story too. Shippo told me that one."

Isamu was there in his brother's face. "What story?"

Shippo smiled. "Isamu, long story short, a female kitsune thought that I was her kit and tried to take me from Koga. I told him what happened to my real mom and dad, and he knew she wasn't. But he was playing me the way that grandpa played him. He had me thinking that he was really going to send me with her!"

Akira sat back and listened. The one part that they skipped over was when they ACTUALY mated. They didn't go over that. They just kinda skipped it. 'I won't let them get away with it.' She stood up and walked over to her father, and put on her best sad face. "Papa you skipped a part."

Koga turned and saw that face that always got him. "I skipped what koibito?" As he pulled her on his lap.

"You skipped over the part where you and mama finally became mates. You went off to the waterfall, kissed, then you skipped to when you came back. What happened at the waterfall?" Akira knew that there was something that no one was telling her.

Sora burst out in a hysterical laugh at her mates face. None of the other girls started asking questions until they were well over the age to know about such things. She picked up her daughter and smiled to Koga then walked away.

"Mama."

"Akira, you are ten years old. That part of the story, you are too young to hear, but I will give you sneak peak of what happened."

Akira perked up at that one. "What is it mama?"

Sora sat down, not too far from the group, but far enough that Akira would feel like she was getting special treatment. She did try to do that to all her kids from time to time. "Well, lets just say this. Your father and I held each other behind the waterfall for a long time. We talked, and agreed that we were mates. We held each other like that, to mix our scents. Do you understand? That is all I can tell you."

Akira still knew that there as more to this story than what she was being told. "Hai mama. But when I am older, you will tell me exactly what happened?"

"Hai when you are older." Then they walked hand in hand back to the pack.

Koga looked at his mate with quizzical eyes. When she nodded he sighed. He did not want to half to go through any more questions like that for a long time. The first time that Mizuki asked about 'that' he was dumbfounded. That is the next part of the story. They were going to skip ahead to when they had Akira and Isamu. To save time.

"Hey, settled down ya'll. It is time to finish up the story."

Isamu frowned. "I don't want it to be over."

Shippo hugged his mate tight. They had their own story to tell their kits when they were old enough. Censored of course. "Don't worry Isamu. I am sure between the two of us, Kosha and I could come up with a doozy of a story for ya from time to time."

Isamu smiled. "That would be great Shippo!"

Koga cleared his throat. "Are we all ready now?"

Akira settled in his lap, Isamu came and settled into his mother's lap and Kosha was back in his tree.

"Good. Now, the next part of the story. The birth of Kosha and Mizuki."


	22. Chapter 22

Ginta and Hakaku stood beside Kaiba as they all were in charge of keeping Koga out of the birthing room while Sora was birthing his twin pups. A male was not permitted in the birthing room while his mate was in labor. It did not matter if they were a taiyoukai or if they were a bandit ningen.

Kaiba glared back at his leader. "Koga I understand that you want to go and see her. I understand that you want to be with her but it is best for you and her if you stay out here."

Koga growled as he paced. Waiting for them to drop their guard so he could get to Sora. "And how do you know that Kaiba?"

Kaiba smiled a feral smile. "I have four pups myself. I know better than these two what you are going through. Demo you need to stay out."

Koga tensed when he heard another cry of pain coming from his mate. "I have to get in there! As your leader I order you to move." Then he charged them.

"Baka." Kaiba side stepped him then brought his hand down on his neck knocking him out cold.

x

This time it was Shippo who stopped the story. He looked at the annoyed look on Koga's face and laughed even harder. "I had forgotten that Kaiba had to knock you out!"

Koga glared. He was not proud of that one. Kaiba, on that one occasion was able to do what no one before his father had done to him. And even then he was no bigger than his father's knee what that happened. "Yeah, well I just might get to tell my grandchildren about how I had to knock their father out when they were being born. You never know."

Shippo was still laughing. "Hai. This is true. But it was and still is really funny!"

Kosha had been trying to hold it in. "Hai Shippo. I never knew that part. It would have been hilarious to see you laid out and unconscious for once."

Sora smiled as she watched her mates face grow in redness. It was good for him. "Oh Koga you know that you were laughing about it ten minutes after you woke up yourself so stop getting all mad about it."

Koga smiled as his face returned to its normal color. "Hai. You are right. Can we get on with the story though? It is almost done!"

Akira was not thrilled that the story was almost over, but did want to finish it. "Hai. Papa promised that he would go to the end this time. Let him."

Koga smiled at his daughter. "Arigato otome."

x

Sora sat in her bed. She had two of the most beautiful pups that she could have ever asked for. One boy, one girl. She and Koga talked about this. She would name any girls, and he would name any boys. Her daughter already had her name. Mizuki. Right after she was born Sora looked out the window and saw one of the most beautiful full moons that she had ever seen. Looking down at her daughter as they handed her to her she smiled. The moonlight was making her glow.

Her son, was the exact image of his father. The tanned skin, blue eyes and jet black hair. And they were both youkai. They had a light scent of hanyou, since their mother was hanyou, but their own scent was all youkai. A groan coming from the sleeping male next to her made her smile.

After the pups were born Kaiba carried Koga in and laid him on the bed next to her. He had tried to come in and was going to plow his way through. He hit him and knocked him out so he wouldn't cause trouble.

Koga's eyes shot opened and he flew into a sitting position. "Kaiba that bastard I am going to kill him!"

Sora shushed him. "You will do no such thing Koga. You know you could not be with me while I was in labor."

Koga turned his head to find his mate sitting in their bed holding two pups. He smiled. "He knocked me out so that I would not be a pain in the ass while you had them huh."

"Hai. Here, this is your daughter. Her name is Mizuki."

Koga took the tiny bundle from his mate. She had jet black hair and the perfect little face. When she opened her eyes she had her mother's green eyes. "She is perfect koishii." He laid her down between them and accepted his son.

"This is your son Koga. He was born first. I named Mizuki because of our agreement. Girls are mine, and boys are yours. What will we call your eldest son and future leader of our pack?"

Koga looked down into blue eyes that mirrored his. His son. He had a son! 'No. I have two of them. Shippo is just like a son to me.' Then a thought hit him. He was named after his grandfather. And his son would be named after his grandfather as well. "Kosha. He will be named Kosha, after my father."

Sora smiled. "Kosha is perfect."

"Where is the other one? Where did Shippo go? I figured he would want to see his little brother and sister?" Koga began to look all around for him.

Sora smiled. "He is on the roof. He Kaiba, Ginta and Hakaku said that they were not going to let him come in until after you had a chance to spend some time with them."

Koga smiled, still holding his son he walked to the window and looked out. "Hey Shippo! Get down here and see your brother and sister!"

When a ball of dark tan rushed through the window he smiled as Shippo took his perch next to Sora who was now holding Mizuki.

Shippo smiled. The pup was adorable. "My little sister. What is her name?"

"Mizuki."

Koga sat down next to the kit. "And this is your little brother Kosha."

Shippo turned to see the other pup. He looked dead on Koga. "He is adorable! And I am a big brother!"

x

Shippo smiled. "Hai. I was ecstatic to be a big brother. Until he got to be the same size I was. That was when we started all the hell around here for everyone."

Sora glared at her three eldest. "Hai. I got more exercise and practice tracking the three of you down and trying to make you stop what ever it was that you were doing."

Kosha smiled. "Until I was old enough to join Shippo in training. Then that was what we spent our time doing."

Seiji smiled. "And it took you a while to have Emiko and me didn't it?"

Koga nodded. "You are 65 years old. Kosha and Mizuki are 115. That is 50 years between the four of you."

Yuriko shrugged. "Daisuke and I are 63, so it didn't take long to have us after them."

Daisuke reached over and ruffled his little brother's head. "However it was 53 years between us and Isamu and Akira."

Koga smiled. "Hai." Then he sat back as all his pups, and the newest member Nozomi all joined in talking about age differences. He was proud of his pack. Even if his eldest son was a kitsune.

Sora leaned against him. "I can't wait until we have the kits running around here all the time. I want to move Shippo and Nozomi closer that way the kits can come see us when they want and not have to wait until their mama or papa comes with them."

Koga nodded. He was thinking the same thing. He wanted his pack close. Shippo was not that far away but he was far enough away that the kits would not be able to get from one den to the other without the chance of something happening. And he would kill someone if they touched them. 'If I could get to them before Shippo.'

He held his mate close as he smiled. "Our pack is all together again koishii. And this is how it should stay."


End file.
